Computer tech uncovers child porn on man's hard drive, police say

Robert Batze, 71, arrested on child pornography charge

SAN ANTONIO – A worker at a Northwest Side Best Buy store is getting some of the credit for helping San Antonio police discover a case of child pornography.

The investigation led to the arrest of Robert Louis Batze, 71.

An arrest warrant affidavit said Batze took his computer to Best Buy, located in the 17400 block of La Cantera Parkway, last October, asking for his hard drive to be replaced.

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The affidavit said he also asked to have files on a portable hard to drive transferrred onto the computer's new internal hard drive.

A member of the Geek Squad -- the store's team of computer technicians - -later called police, telling them he had found thumbnail images of what appeared to be child pornography on the computer, the affidavit said.

When Batze arrived to pick up his computer later, a police officer showed up at the store and seized it.

The affidavit said the officer released Batze at that time.

Investigators obtained a warrant earlier this month and searched the computer. 

The affidavit said they found 2,200 images of child pornography on the computer.

Batze was taken into custody Tuesday on a charge of possession of child pornography.


About the Authors

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT.

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