Details of Young case released to public

Published 12:21 am Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Editor’s note: The original version of this story has been updated to include Young’s release from custody on a $25,000 bond.

FERRIDAY — Details released publicly Tuesday in the case of John Casey Young, a Ferriday resident arrested by the FBI last week for production of child pornography, revealed that investigators arrested Young for probable cause after Young’s wife provided evidence that contained video and photos of a minor on his phone and computer, according to a complaint filed by the FBI.

The complaint said Young’s wife, Laurie Young, discovered in July photos of an undressed minor getting out of the shower on her husband’s computer hard drive. She made a copy of the photos at the advice of her attorney using I-TECH, a Ridgeland-based business.

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The video, the complaint alleges, depicts frontal nudity of the minor and appeared to have been recorded without the minor’s knowledge from outside the bathroom window.

Laurie Young released an external hard drive image, a Sony Handycam, a DVD-R and other equipment to the FBI after contacting the agency on Sept. 2.

A neighbor, who helped Laurie Young locate on the computer hard drive the videos on which the complaint hinges, also provided consent to search a computer, thumb drive and other equipment.

The neighbor told the FBI the video depicting nudity was taken with an iPhone. Laurie Young told the FBI Casey Young used an iPhone. Another video on the hard drive allegedly shows Casey Young testing the camera outdoors at night, the complaint says.

FBI Special Agent Pamela J. McCarthy said in the complaint Casey Young also displayed other alleged behaviors that gave probable cause for an arrest, including Internet searches using explicit key words, as well as e-mailed and printed forms of text messages he received.

Some explicit text messages Casey received, according to the document, were sent by a second possible minor and recent graduate of Trinity Episcopal Day School who Casey Young coached in track.

Documents filed Monday by federal prosecutors in their effort to overturn a magistrate’s decision to release Young indicate at least six videos of the minor were created without her knowledge while she was in the bathroom.

Young was released from the custody of U.S. Marshals in Alexandria late Tuesday on a $25,000 bond. Conditions of his release included adherence to a curfew and avoiding contact with minors other than his biological children and during or immediately before or after funeral services in the presence of another adult.