Two Fort Carson soldiers have been arrested on charges that they sexually exploited children following a joint investigation by local and military authorities.
The investigation began after the Colorado Springs Police Department developed information that child pornography was being distributed in what police called a “peer-to-peer” network in the Springs area.
The department’s crimes against children unit began to focus on suspects who were distributing the porn from privately owned computers at Fort Carson.
The information was shared with military officials, and together, the police department and the Fort Carson Criminal Investigation Division began a joint probe.
Subsequently, two soldiers at Fort Carson, Micah Rochet, 22, and Michael Morris, 21, were arrested.
Investigators said today that although the two are charged with sexual exploitation of children, a felony, there is no evidence that any children in the region were victimized by the pair.
Investigators also said there is no evidence that computers belonging to the Army or federal government were used to distribute the pornography.
Because the case is centered at the military base, the investigation has now been turned over to military authorities, according to Colorado Springs police.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
