Local cell phone stores employee charged federally with child pornography, video voyeurism crimes

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Federal agents arrested a Grove City man today who has been charged federally with child pornography and video voyeurism crimes.

Neil Brown, 41, worked at multiple cell phone stores in Columbus and allegedly captured nude photos and videos from customers' phones.

A cyber tipline received in January 2025 led investigators to search Brown's digital accounts and devices.

According to charging documents, Brown was employed by Cellular Sales and would take the phones of female customers and search through them for illicit content. Brown then allegedly created videos of the content on his own phone. To date, investigators have identified three victimized customers.

Investigators also discovered more than 75 images and videos of child pornography on Brown's cell phone. Brown allegedly paid virtual currency on an app to receive videos of child sexual abuse material.

Brown was initially arrested locally and charged with pandering obscenity involving a minor. The federal charges have superseded the local ones, and the local charges have now been dismissed.

The defendant appeared in federal court today at 2:30pm and his case was unsealed at that time.

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.

A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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