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MPR News Staff

U of M student employee faces child porn charges, tried to flee apartment with flash drive

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A University of Minnesota student employee is facing child pornography charges after investigators say they found a half dozen illegal videos on his computer.

Federal prosecutors say Christopher Scott Pfoff, 28, of Minneapolis used a peer-to-peer file sharing network to distribute videos depicting the sexual abuse of teens and prepubescent children.

According to the criminal complaint, an FBI agent used "special undercover software" to download the videos from internet addresses linked to Pfoff's computer.

Authorities searched Pfoff's apartment last week and arrested him as he allegedly tried to flee with a flash drive.

According to the complaint, investigators gathered the flash drive as well as a laptop and a cell phone and put them on a kitchen countertop. Investigators then found paperwork on the expungement of criminal records regarding a previous case in Maryland in which Pfoff allegedly distributed and possessed child pornography.

After he was asked about the papers, Pfoff said he wanted to leave. Investigators told him that was fine.

Pfoff then asked to fill a water bottle. As Pfoff was walking toward the door, the investigator noticed the flash drive was missing from the countertop. Pfoff tried to run from the apartment, but investigators were able to stop and handcuff him.

The flash drive was found inside Pfoff's water bottle, which he had dropped during the struggle. Another laptop was found in a search of the apartment.

Pfoff's resume — included in court documents — shows he's studying psychology at the U and had been working as an IT specialist there.