CALIFORNIA, Md. (Feb. 17, 2016)—The arrest of St. Mary's College of Maryland swimming coach
Andre Barbins on child pornography charges on Feb. 12 traces all the way to Knox County in Illinois.
On October 19, 2015 the Knox County Sheriff's Department received a report of a sexual exploitation of a child involving a victim in Knox County. Upon investigating the report,
police say indecent communications were discovered through a social media website between the victim and a male subject who was over the age of 18.
Police in Illinois say that after months of investigating the allegations,
the sheriff's Investigation Division were able to identify a suspect who resided in Maryland. The suspect was identified as Andre Rudolph Barbins,
age 45, of Pelagic Lane, Solomons, Maryland. With the suspect residing out of
state, Knox County
investigators contacted the Maryland State Police, Division of Internet Crimes Against Children, and discussed the
case. The case file was sent to the MSP.
On February 12, the Maryland State Police and agents from the Department of Homeland Security executed a search warrant at Barbins residence in Solomons. Barbins was located and arrested without incident.
Police say that as a result of the search warrant, numerous digital media storage devices were seized. These items were found to contain images of child pornography.
Police say Barbins confessed to authorities of having contacted the Knox County juvenile victim as well as several other juveniles, committing similar offenses.
Barbins was transported to the Calvert County Detention Center for booking and processing for the offenses of one count of sexual solicitation of a minor
(statute CR.11.207.(a)(1)) and one count of providing obscene material to a minor
(statute CR.11.203.(b)(2)) that occurred on Sept.
24, 2015.
Barbins was initially detained at the Calvert County Detention Center awaiting a hearing by the District Court Commissioner.
Barbin was released on $75,000 bond on Feb. 13, according to court
records. His trial is scheduled for March 21.