Rock Hill man accused of downloading, distributing child porn

A Rock Hill man was arrested Thursday after police say he had been downloading and distributing child pornography.

Tyler John Sward, of Patriot Parkway, was arrested Thursday at his home and charged with second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to Rock Hill police. Sward, 29, was placed in the Rock Hill city jail and released Friday after posting $25,000 bond.

“One of our investigators that works with the Internet Crimes Against Children task force received a tip and he worked on it,” said Capt. Brent Allmon, a Rock Hill police spokesman. That investigation revealed Sward had been downloading and distributing digital files of minors engaging in “sexual activity.”

Investigators on Thursday executed a search warrant at Sward’s home and seized computer equipment, which was sent for forensic testing, Allmon said. He could not comment on the number of files or details about the children involved.

“These were files that he downloaded and got off of the Internet,” Allmon said. “We had to send that off to have forensics processed.”

Allmon could not elaborate on the tip that prompted the investigation, which he said is still open.

This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Rock Hill man accused of downloading, distributing child porn."