A former computer network manager at the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation is accused of possessing and distributing vast amounts of child pornography.
An Anchorage grand jury on Tuesday indicted 38-year-old Gene Geisler on 76 counts of child pornography possession and distribution.
Prosecutors allege the man used the hospital’s network infrastructure to distribute the pornography as well as his home computers. Officials say Geisler is at large and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Adam Alexander is an assistant attorney general with the office of special prosecutions for the state of Alaska. He says information first came up in August of 2014 and they issued search warrants in September.
“Over 500 pounds of digital devices were seized that examination involved an examination of over 80 digital devices, each requiring a pretty serious expenditure of resources and time,” said Alexander.
Of the 76 counts, 20 are for distribution. Prosecutors say he shared videos with an investigator through peer-to peer-software. Investigators identified 56 children in photos that prosecutors believe represent known victims of child sexual exploitation identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In total, Geisler is charged with possessing two million images and 13-thousand videos, amounting to 29 terabytes of child pornography.
“This is, as alleged one of the more significant cases just in terms of the raw quantity of data and the number of images of child sexual exploitation involved,” said Alexander.
Alexander says there’s no indication or charges related to Geisler being involved in making of child pornography but he says the investigation is ongoing.
YKHC officials confirm Geisler was employed at YKHC in the IT department, but did not want to comment further, other than to say that they are cooperating with law enforcement on their investigation.
Geisler’s LinkedIn profile says he worked at three IT positions at YKHC after March 2011. YKHC officials could not say when Geisler left YKHC, but did confirm that he is no longer employed there. The profile says from July 2013 to September 2014 he worked as a network, telecom, server, virtualization, and systems manager for YKHC, managing a team of ten people. A spokesperson says the dates on Geisler’s LinkedIn profile look accurate.
In August of last year, investigators saw videos coming from a location in Bethel. When they came to town, they visited YKHC and Geisler’s home. There they saw a computer downloading images. He explained that he could piggyback on the hospital’s network from home.
He initially denied involvement in child porn, but in a later interview admitted that he had images and videos on his computers. In later search warrants, investigators examined dozens of devices, including a private server he installed at YKHC for use. During the investigation, he fled the state.
For the last six months, his profile says he’s worked for the Navy in North Charleston, South Carolina, in the advanced technology SPAWAR group.
Officials ask people with information about Geisler to contact the Alaska Bureau of Investigation. He faces two to 12 years in prison for each count, if convicted, and could face 99 years behind bars.
KYUK’s Daysha Eaton contributed to this story.
Ben Matheson is a contributor with the Alaska Public Radio Network.
