Russian Man Arrested Outside John Kerry's Home Indicted On Child Porn Charges
BOSTON (CBS/AP) – A Russian national arrested last summer after taking photos in front of Secretary of State John Kerry's Beacon Hill home has now been indicted on child pornography charges.
Vladimir Romanov, 30, of Chestnut Hill and West Roxbury was jailed following the incident outside Kerry's home in July 2013 on a public drinking misdemeanor charge.
Authorities said Wednesday that arrest led to a search of Romanov's laptop computer. They allegedly found "sexually explicit images of children," according to a statement released by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.
Romanov was arrested Wednesday and charged with six counts of possession of child pornography.
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Suffolk Superior Court.
Romanov was arrested July 14, 2013 after State Department security officers noticed him acting suspiciously, parked in a no-parking zone and taking photographs of Kerry's Louisburg Square townhouse.
Kerry was not home at the time.
According to the prosecutor, Romanov told police he was taking the photos for a friend who was in jail, claiming he wanted to show him bars in the Boston area.
Officers recovered a pellet gun, three cell phones, a TomTom Navigation system, a black canvas bag containing seven carbon dioxide cartridges and an open container of brandy from Romanov's car.
Romanov was ordered held on $25,000 cash bail after being arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court. His attorney, Joseph Griffin, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
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