Sex offender accidentally drops USB drive with child images at sheriff’s office

A Weatherford man is accused of having child sexual abuse material after Parker County officials say he dropped a thumb drive containing over 2,000 images in the parking lot of the sheriff’s office.

William Raymond Catron, 66 , was charged with first-degree possession of child sexual abuse material involving over 50 images or videos, possession of material involving children under 10 years of age and failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, according to court records. Catron was booked into the Parker County Jail with bond set at $750,000.

Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier said in a Facebook post that Catron was arrested March 18 following a sex offender compliance check at the sheriff’s office. Authier said that after Catron left his appointment, a visitor found a thumb drive near where Catron had parked and turned it over to sheriff’s office personnel. Officials reviewed the contents and found among the images “selfie” photographs of Catron, Authier said. Officials then reviewed surveillance footage, which Authier said captured Catron dropping a thumb drive out of his pocket while retrieving his car keys.

Catron was first required to register as a sex offender in Texas 2019, according to state records. He was charged with possession of childhood sexual abuse material in Michigan in 2012, according to state records. Catron is a registered sex offender for life and required to check in with authorities on a quarterly basis, according to state records.

Authier said Catron was asked to come back to the sheriff’s office later on March 18. Catron complied with the request and was taken into custody upon arriving, Authier said. Catron provided investigators during a recorded interview a “full confession,” the sheriff said.

The Parker County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Weatherford Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division, executed a search warrant for Catron’s residence following his detainment. The search, Authier said, revealed additional electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material. Additional arrest warrants were issued on March 20 after officials reviewed all the material contained on devices found at Catron’s residence, Authier said.