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PD: Mesa man arrested for child porn was applying for job with DCS

Posted at 11:55 AM, Feb 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-23 08:16:39-05

A Mesa man, who was in the process of applying for a job as an investigator with the Arizona Department Of Child Safety, was arrested for allegedly downloading child pornography. 

A child pornography taskforce of Mesa and Chandler police officers arrested 48-year-old Paul Stanley Sappington on February 14. 

Investigators say Sappington has been downloading child porn for the past 20 years.  

In a search warrant at his home, near Signal Butte and Elliot roads, they allegedly found over 2,200 images and videos of child porn and bestiality with children. 

Sappington reportedly admitted to downloading the videos as late as February 12. 

Investigators say Sappington is a recreational football coach in the area.  

At the time of his arrest, Sappington allegedly told police that he was on the way to the post office to mail his fingerprint card to the Arizona Department of Child Services, where he was applying for a job as an investigator, in the Human Trafficking Division. 

He was also found to have a jump drive containing child porn in his pocket. 

He has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor.