From P.K. Johnson
Millbrook Police Department
Earlier this week, a representative for the U.S. Secret Service came to the Millbrook Police Department to present a plaque to Capt. Jason Brosius, who heads the Millbrook Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit. The Significant Case Award was presented to the Millbrook Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit in recognition for their work on a case from January of 2024.
On January 29, 2024, detectives received multiple cyber tips regarding a device user who was allegedly downloading suspected child sex abuse material. Detectives with the Millbrook Police Department are members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and work these types of cases with the assistance of their federal, state and local law enforcement partners.
A search warrant was executed at the residence of the suspect in Millbrook, Feb. 2, 2024, during which multiple electronic devices were seized.
At the conclusion of the search of the residence, James Mengel was identified as the primary suspect and agreed to voluntarily accompany law enforcement to the Millbrook Police Department for questioning. During Mengel’s statement, he admitted to downloading and possessing child pornography on his cellular device. Arrest warrants were initially obtained for five counts of Possession of Child Pornography with additional charges pending.
Following the initial discovery of a second device that was later identified as belonging to Mengel, the device was found to be damaged and was initially unable to be examined. However, because of the specialized training and state-of-the-art equipment provided by the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI), detectives successfully conducted a comprehensive examination of this device several days later.
Upon further examination of this device, a significant number of additional images were found along with two videos. The videos have been confirmed as originating from the device and have been linked to Mengel and his place of residence. In the videos, a live victim, a seven-year-old relative of Mengel, was able to be identified as a victim of sexual abuse by the offender.
Warrants were obtained for Sexual Abuse of a Child less than 12 and two counts of Production of Obscene Matter Containing Visual Depiction of Person Under 17. These warrants were served to Mengel at the Elmore County Jail.
In total, 2,080 suspected instances of Child Sexual Abuse Material were discovered on the two devices, which were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). 40 of the submitted images were determined to be identified child victims through NCMEC.
The Millbrook Police Department is honored to receive this recognition from our federal law enforcement partners, the United States Secret Service and NCFI, which is a state-of-the-art, 40,000 square foot facility located in Hoover, Alabama. This innovative facility is the nation’s premier law enforcement training facility in cyber and electronic crime forensics. The NCFI seeks to educate state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges in the continually evolving cyber and electronic crime related threats. They educate, train, and equip them with the tools necessary for forensic examinations to combat those crimes.
Since opening, May 19, 2008, the NCFI has trained over 18,000 local, state, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and/or judges from all 50 states and five U.S. territories. NCFI graduates represent over 2,500 agencies nationwide.
In 2023, Capt. Brosius received an opportunity to attend Mobile Device Examiner and Basic Computer Evidence Recovery Training courses at the prestigious NCFI. These training programs were invaluable, equipping our agency with the necessary skills and tools to effectively conduct forensic examinations of cellular devices and computers. It would not have been possible for us to acquire this equipment and training if not for the generous support of NCFI. This assistance has greatly enhanced our department’s capabilities in handling digital evidence and conducting thorough investigations.
Due to this invaluable training, our Criminal Investigations Unit possesses the knowledge, equipment and the capability to conduct these types of investigations, which have resulted in the apprehension and arrest of the alleged offender, as outlined above. It should also be noted that several arrests have been made recently with offenders facing similar charges.
I want to commend Capt. Brosius and our Criminal Investigations Unit for their outstanding work in investigating these cases, as well as their commitment and dedication to keeping our citizens safe. I’m extremely proud that they received this well-deserved recognition. We are fortunate to have officers and staff that are committed to ensuring that Millbrook remains a safe place to live and raise a family.
The Millbrook Police Department remains committed to protecting children from child predators, both online and in our community.
