Morgantown man arrested for flaunting child-porn stash on Discord under shocking alias
Garrett Michael Highlander, 20, was taken into custody after West Virginia State Police acted on a tip that he bragged about sharing child-pornography in online chatrooms.
West Virginia State Police arrested 20-year-old Garrett Michael Highlander of Morgantown after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about his online boasts of a sizable child-porn collection. The suspect frequently posted on Discord using names like “MrChildPorn” and “MrToxix,” where he allegedly sent explicit images of minors to other participants. Multiple users reported that Highlander would not cease transmitting the illegal content, prompting a criminal complaint.
During interrogation, he claimed the behavior was intended as “trolling” and “rage-baiting” for his amusement. Law enforcement seized his electronic devices and found a photograph of a young girl in a compromising pose with cuts on her arms and legs. He has been charged with possession of material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct and booked into the North Central Regional Jail. State police have not yet responded to further inquiries.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing challenges in policing online child-exploitation and the use of anonymous platforms to distribute illegal content.
In this story
