Transient arrested in Carson City on child porn charge

A 21-year-old transient has been arrested on suspicion of possession of child pornography and use of a minor under 14 to produce pornography.

Alexander Roman Merchant, 21, was arrested on Oct. 25, according to the Carson City Sheriff’s Office.

According to the arrest report, Merchant is on Nevada Department of Parole and Probation supervision stemming from a previous conviction of sex crimes against children in California.

Merchant’s probation officer contacted the Carson City Sheriff’s Office after finding sexually explicit photos of female juveniles on Merchant’s phone.

Merchant told officers his girlfriend was 14 and lived on the East Coast.

The case has been forwarded to Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to research for other victims.

Merchant was booked on $140,000 bail on a felony charge of using a minor under 14 to produce pornography and possession of visual pornography of a person under 16.