Grand Forks County (trfnews.i234.me) — A 27-year-old Grand Forks man is facing two felony charges. Court records tie the case to a cloud account.
Maynor Aldair Palacios Arita was arrested Feb. 5. He appeared in court Feb. 9 at the Grand Forks County Courthouse.
What investigators say
Court documents say the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation received a CyberTip in October 2024. The tip came from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
The report said a cloud storage provider flagged files for possible child sexual abuse material. Filings name the provider as Synchronoss Technologies, a service used by Verizon.
Investigators linked the account to a phone number registered to Palacios Arita. A search warrant return listed nine files investigators say were illegal.
Search warrants and seized devices
Authorities served search warrants at his Grand Forks residence on Feb. 5. They seized two phones, two laptops, and two SD cards.
Investigators also reported finding account photos tied to Palacios Arita. Those images included identification documents, according to the affidavit.
Interview details
During a Feb. 6 interview, court records say he admitted having pornography involving minors. Prosecutors have not released more details in public filings.
Charges and possible penalties
He is charged with two counts of possession of certain materials prohibited. Each count is filed as a Class B felony.
The offense is listed in N.D.C.C. § 12.1-27.2-04.1. North Dakota law allows a Class B felony sentence of up to 10 years.
He is being held at the Grand Forks County Jail. Custody status can change after court hearings.
Court records also say Palacios Arita was born in Honduras. The filing states he is not a U.S. citizen.
What happens next
Criminal charges are accusations. They are not proof of guilt. The case may expand as device testing continues.
You can search court calendars and case records on the North Dakota Court System website.
How to report concerns
If you suspect online child exploitation, report it to the CyberTipline. If someone is in danger, call 911.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
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