Justice Dept. employee charged in child pornography case

Timothy Parsons, a legal staffer at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C., is facing federal criminal charges in Maryland, where he lives, three sources said. Exclusive Politics Justice Dept. employee charged in child pornography case By Scott MacFarlane, Scott MacFarlane Justice Correspondent Scott MacFarlane is CBS News' Justice correspondent. He has covered Washington for two decades, earning 20 Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards. His reporting has resulted directly in the passage of five new laws. Read Full Bio Scott MacFarlane, Sarah N. Lynch Sarah N. Lynch Senior Justice Department Reporter Sarah N. Lynch is the senior Justice Department reporter for CBS News, based in Washington, D.C. Read Full Bio Sarah N. Lynch Updated on: March 4, 2026 / 4:11 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A longtime Justice Department employee has been arrested and charged in a child pornography case, according to multiple sources who spoke with CBS News. Timothy Parsons, a legal staffer at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C., is facing federal criminal charges in Maryland, where he lives, three sources said.According to a court filing reviewed by CBS News, an FBI task force searched Parsons home in Bethesda on Monday, looking for potential criminal material. An FBI agent alleged Parsons answered questions from investigators and acknowledged receiving a message with child sex abuse material from another person in February 2019. A Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement, "The employee is on leave and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with standard procedure. While we cannot comment on personnel matters, we hold all of our employees to the highest standards of ethical conduct at all times." According to an FBI affidavit, Parsons received multiple videos and two images with child abuse material. The affidavit said Parsons told investigators that he had deleted those messages. The charging documents also alleged Parsons responded to the images with sexually charged responses, including, "That is so hot." According to court filings and a review of court dockets by CBS News, Parsons' case was uncovered by investigators who handled a 2025 investigation into Victor Blythe, a former child psychotherapist at Children's National Medical Center in Washington. The court filings said the images sent to Parsons were sent by a suspected child exploiter whose case matches details of Blythe's 2025 criminal case. The affidavit also said on Monday, "The FBI executed the warrants at (Parson's) Bethesda residence and seized several devices belonging to Parsons, who lives there by himself and was alone in the residence when the FBI arrived. Investigators conducted an onsite preview of Parson's devices and identified no (child abuse material). A full forensic examination of the devices consistent with the search warrant is pending."Parsons has not yet entered a plea in his case. He's scheduled to appear in court Friday in Greenbelt, Maryland. The court docket said Parsons has been appointed a federal public defender. The public defender's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. CBS News sought comment from Parsons but has not received a response.Blythe has pleaded not guilty and has a court appearance in his federal criminal case scheduled for March 25. More from CBS News DOJ moves to drop defense of Trump's executive orders targeting law firms