Ex-government worker pleads guilty to child porn charge

A former Defense Department manager pleaded guilty yesterday in Baltimore's federal court to possession of child pornography - pictures and movie images stored on his government-issued laptop computer, the Maryland U.S. attorney's office announced.

The defendant, 41-year-old Jose Medina, was indicted Sept. 1 - five days after leaving his job as an information security manager with a defense agency in Alexandria, Va. - on a charge of possessing materials depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

According to a statement of facts presented to Judge William D. Quarles. Jr., authorities with a search warrant seized several computers Jan. 16 from Medina's Aberdeen home and found the explicit images - including at least one of a child known to be under age 12 - stored on the government laptop.

Medina faces a maximum term of 10 years at sentencing on March 17.