2-12-2009 California: Bethel police say a man arrested on child porn charges killed himself in a San Diego jail today. John Kopkowski was found in his cell around 12:30 this afternoon. Officials say it appears his death is a suicide.
Kopkowski was arrested last Friday in San Diego after going to a hospital there for medical treatment. Investigators say Kopkoski's father lives in that area.
A Clermont County grand jury indicted Kopkowski on fifty charges. The investigation into Kopkowski started in December when he brought a computer in for repairs. The repair shop called police after discovering hundreds of pictures of young boys and girls - they were either nude or involved in sex acts.
Police searched Kopkowski's Batavia home - where they found several pieces of children's clothing.
Kopkowski was not fighting extradition and was expected back in Clermont County later this week. ..Source.. by Local12.com
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Kopkowski dies in prison
After almost two months of investigation local police have been given a swift conclusion to the case involving a Batavia man who was indicted on 50 counts relating to child pornography Feb. 4.
John Kopkowski, 42, was pronounced dead at the San Diego Central Jail at about 9:34 a.m. San Diego, Cali. time Thursday, Feb. 12. According to Bethel Police Officer Shane Bininger preliminary reports indicate that Kopkowski jumped from the second level of a building at the jail while in protective custody, falling to his death. His death is being investigated by the San Diego Sheriff’s Office. No further information is available at this time.
The Bethel Police Department began investigating Kopkowski on Dec. 12 after a Bethel computer repair technician came forward with the allegation that he had found disturbing images on Kopkowski’s computer. The Bethel PD along with the Batavia Police Department executed a warrant on Kopkowski’s home in Batavia on Dec. 14. The officers confiscated two computers which contained hundreds of images containing children in various states of nudity and engaging in sexual acts.
Kopkowski was located by the Department of Veteran Affairs Police Department when he visited a VA Hospital in San Diego, Cali. He was arrested on Feb. 6 and was awaiting extradition to Ohio when he died.
Bininger said that while the case on Kopkowski will be closed the Bethel Police will continue to work with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigations to determine if there are victims who were involved with Kopkowski.
“Unfortunately we’re not going to be able to proceed with prosecution,” Bininger said. “If we are able to determine there were any victims we will work with the agencies that currently have open investigations. Unfortunately at this point we don’t know who the victims are. We are going to continue to do everything within our power, within the power of the state of Ohio to determine who these victims are.”
Bethel worked with with numerous local agencies to analyze evidence recovered from Kopkowski’s home in Batavia including the Batavia Police Department, Miami Township Police Department, BCI, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office-Regional Electronics Computer Investigation Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Images recovered from the computers were also sent to United States Postal Inspection Service and the Center for Missing and Exploited Children to investigate whether the children in the images have been involved in past investigations.
“We’re not going to leave any stone unturned,” Bininger said. ..Source.. by Staff
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