Auto theft investigation leads to kiddie porn arrest

University police detained a man during a vehicle theft investigation Friday and discovered child pornography while searching his car near the UA Visitors Center on East University Boulevard and North Cherry Avenue, police reports stated.

University police were dispatched to the center to check out a 1984 Dodge Colt that was reported stolen by a Los Angeles resident, police reports stated.

Police waited until a man, later identified as Paul D. Somers, aka Todd Butterfield, 23, of Marana, entered the vehicle before stopping him while he left the center parking lot, reports stated.

While searching the back of Somers' car, police discovered a checkbook belonging to another person and photographs and stories portraying children in sexual situations, reports stated.

A check also indicated Somers is a suspect in a University of Arizona Associated Students Bookstore scam in which he was recorded on security cameras as returning stolen books for cash or credit, reports stated.

Police took Somers to university police headquarters to question him about the book scam and the stolen vehicle, which Somers said he bought after cashing a $550 money order a California couple had given him to buy Beanie Babies, reports stated. Somers told police he had a bill of sale for the Colt from a California man.

Somers told police that he advertised Beanie Baby sales over the Internet using computers at the UA Main Library, and then kept money orders that were eventually sent to him from people expecting him to ship their merchandise, reports stated. Somers told police he had obtained about $1,050 from this scheme.

Officers arrested Somers on two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and took him to the Pima County Jail, where he remained Tuesday in lieu of $25,000 bond.