Sisters-area man jailed on 50 child pornography counts

(Update: Adding arraignment, bail amount, plea hearing date)

A tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force led to a raid on a Sisters-area home and the arrest of a 73-year-old resident on 50 charges of possessing and distributing child pornography, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said Wednesday.

Sheriff’s detectives received the tip regarding George Staab’s actions and served a search warrant Tuesday at his home in the 70000 block of Cayuse Drive, Sgt. Jayson Janes said.

During the raid, detectives found a large amount of child pornography, Janes said. Based on the evidence and statements by Staab, he was arrested and booked into the county jail in Bend on 30 first-degree counts and 20 second-degree counts of encouraging child sex abuse.

The district attorney’s initial charging document states the crimes occurred over the past three years. Janes said the investigation is continuing and more charges are possible.

Bail was set at $500,000 during Staab’s arraignment on Wednesday and Judge Michael Adler set his plea hearing for next Wednesday.

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing more than 4,500 federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies.