Who Is Emmanuel Folly? Philadelphia Police Officer Arrested On Child Pornography Charges

A Philadelphia police officer was arrested Tuesday on child pornography and other related charges, according to reports.

Officer Emmanuel Folly, 25, surrendered to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit. The three-year veteran assigned to the 18th District in West Philadelphia was charged with sexual abuse of children, possession of child pornography, and dissemination of child pornography, according to Philly.com. He was suspended for 30 days by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross, who planned to dismiss the officer.

Folly was arrested in the investigation that began March 2016. The police department’s Special Victims Unit launched computer investigation to determine people viewing, downloading and sharing child pornography. They found an IP address that downloaded child porn. In November that year, the Special Victims Unit members carried out a search and seizure warrant at the house where the IP address was registered and discovered that it was Folly’s residence.

Additional probe showed that the officer also owned the laptop that had child porn saved in it. Police are continuing the investigation.

Separately, Chad Richard Howell, a former police officer in Pennsylvania’s West Manchester Township is awaiting trial on charges of possessing child porn. He was fired from his department in February and was out on $25,000 bail and is facings charges with 50 counts of possessing child pornography and one count of using a computer for a criminal purpose — all third-degree felonies.

His attorney Tim Barrouk said Howell is innocent.

"We're very early in the process," Barrouk said. "Mr. Howell maintains his innocence."

Last November, Alexander C. Sullivan, a deputy with Maryland’s Charles County Sheriff’s Department was charged with possession of child pornography. He was suspended without pay as per the agency policy. Sullivan could end up behind the bars for maximum 10 years if convicted.