Affidavit: Man arrested, accused of possessing thousands of child sexual abuse material

SAN ANTONIO – A 40-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after investigators received cyber tips reporting more than 150 files of child sexual abuse material linked to his online accounts, according to an arrest affidavit.

San Antonio police detectives arrested Jared Austin Hegwer at a home in the 200 block of Gayle Avenue, according to a post on social media. Jail records indicate he was booked around 2:30 p.m. into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.

Hegwer was charged with possession of more than 50 depictions or videos of child pornography, according to the affidavit. The crime is considered a first-degree felony.

Records show Hegwer allegedly committed the crime around Jan. 16, 2026. Still, details in the affidavit describe the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s tip line receiving files of Hegwer’s child sexual abuse material that date back to August 2025.

Homeland Security special agents received cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s tip line.

The affidavit states the first reported 28 uploaded files of child sexual abuse material. Agents later received multiple additional cyber tip reports totaling 124 uploaded files, with activity ranging from August 2025 to November 2025.

The arrest affidavit states the cyber tip reports contained a user IP address, and through subpoenas, investigators obtained subscriber information that led them to an address where Hegwer lived.

Homeland Security Investigations later obtained a search warrant for Hegwer’s KIK account, a free online messaging application that allows people to talk to others without using a phone number. The app allows people to make phone calls, text, video chat and livestream.

Hegwer’s account included photos of himself and multiple files of child sexual abuse material, the affidavit states.

Through surveillance, HSI agents identified Hegwer by matching the photos on his account, the affidavit said.

Another search warrant was given to officers, and detectives seized Hegwer’s phone, which contained more than 2,300 photos or videos of child sexual abuse material, the affidavit states.

The files on his phone included videos of artificially generated and real children who were sexually abused, according to the affidavit.

Hegwer remains behind bars on a $100,000 bond, jail records indicate.

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