CLEVELAND - Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that a Cuyahoga County grand jury has returned an indictment charging Eric Norton, 49, for possessing child exploitation materials and drug charges.
“I would like to thank the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department for their vigilance in this matter which prevented methamphetamine from entering the county jail,” said Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “I would also like to thank our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) Force and the Cleveland Office of the FBI and for their work in this matter.”
On December 15, 2022, Eric Norton entered the Cuyahoga County Jail for a scheduled meeting with an inmate. As Norton was preparing to go through the screening process, a Cuyahoga County sheriff requested Norton remove any items he had on him. Norton began placing items into a tray and then abruptly left his belongings and walked off with a plastic bag containing 5.12 grams of methamphetamine on his person. He entered the men’s restroom in the lobby of the Justice Center, discarded the small plastic bag, and then exited the restroom. A sheriff noticed Norton’s unusual behavior and entered the restroom where he discovered the small plastic bag that contained the drug. Eric Norton was then detained.
A search warrant for Eric Norton’s mobile device was initially obtained regarding the drug case. During the investigation, based on information discovered, additional search warrants were executed on his mobile device. During a search of the device, child exploitation materials were found.
Eric Norton was indicted on the following charges:
- One count of Illegal Use Of Minor In Nudity-Oriented Material Or Performance
- One count of Drug Possession
- One count of Illegal Conveyance Into Detention Facility
- One count of Tampering With Evidence
- One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
He will be arraigned at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center on April 14, 2023.
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