DENVER — A Denver-area doctor is facing federal charges after being accused of downloading scores of images of child pornography, 9Wants to Know has learned.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged Dr. Justin Bowen Neisler, 31, with transportation of child pornography following his arrest on March 13. He was accused of uploading sexually explicit videos and photos of children onto a social media platform.
Some of the images include depictions of sex involving adults and children, according to court documents.
The investigation is ongoing and potentially includes “other federal criminal child exploitation offenses, including the production of child pornography,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado.
When investigators raided his Denver apartment earlier this month, they took multiple computer storage devices and several cameras, according to court documents. Investigators also took a "spy pen camera instruction manual," court documents say.
"Where is the camera and what is it being used for?" asked 9NEWS Legal Analyst Scott Robinson. "It is almost inconceivable that a doctor who would have routine contact with children would face charges of this nature. These allegations are extraordinarily disturbing because, as a doctor at a family practice, this physician has hands on contact with children every single day."
Colorado Department of Regulatory Agency records show that Neisler has a current state medical license and was in residency at St. Anthony Family Medicine. According to Georgia Composite Medical Board records, he also is licensed there.
He was in federal custody Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.
“He is no longer an employee of our organization,” said Wendy Forbes, a spokeswoman for Centura Health, who confirmed that Neisler had worked at St. Anthony Family Medicine – 84th, 2551 W. 84th Ave. in Westminster.
She also released a statement that said hospital officials were “deeply disturbed and saddened that one of our former physicians … has been charged with crimes related to transportation of child pornography.”
“Upon learning of his arrest by the FBI, his employment was terminated,” the statement said. “We are troubled by these allegations which are in stark contrast to our mission and core values. There is simply no place for any behavior that exploits children in our community, or for any individual that circumvents the systems and processes we have in place to ensure their safety. Since the first notification from the FBI, we have been working with law enforcement, so they can conduct a thorough criminal investigation. Due to the stage of the FBI’s ongoing criminal investigation we have been provided very limited information to date. The health and safety of our patients is our number one priority and we are focused at this time on notifying all patients who may have interacted with this former resident. We have also engaged a third-party to conduct a thorough review of the systems and processes in all our graduate medical education programs.”
According to a search warrant obtained by 9Wants to Know, the investigation began in October when officials at Tumblr, a blogging and photo-sharing website, reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a subscriber had “uploaded sexually explicit videos and/or images of children onto a webpage.”
That tip also provided investigators with an e-mail address linked to the subscriber.
More tips came in the following months. One on Nov. 2 to Colorado Springs police reported “32 images and/or videos of child pornography” had been uploaded by a user with the same e-mail address, according to the warrant.
By early January, according to the document, investigators had identified Neisler as the subscriber with that e-mail address.
Investigators searched Neisler’s Denver apartment on March 13, taking computer hard drives, data cards, and cameras.
Anyone with information relevant to the investigation was asked to contact the FBI at denvermd@fbi.gov or call 303-629-7171, ext. 1
Contact 9NEWS reporter Kevin Vaughan with tips about this or any story: kevin.vaughan@9news.com or 303-871-1862.
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