Ocean Springs alderman indicted over child porn

Published 10:59 pm Saturday, September 22, 2012

An Ocean Springs alderman has been indicted on a child pornography charge after authorities found a sexually explicit video called “Bathtime with Daddy” on his work computer.

The Mississippi Press reported James Roy Hagan was indicted Friday on one charge of exploitation of a child.

The alderman was accused of two sex crimes and embezzlement last year. A Jackson County grand jury cleared him of the touching a child for lustful purposes charge several months ago. The embezzlement charge is pending still.

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The child involved in the pornographic video was a three-year-old girl, according to the indictment. The indictment said Hagan possessed the child pornography on Dec. 3, 2009.

Hagan has not resigned Board of Aldermen post.

Hagan is free on a bail of $50,000.

Mississippi law does not require elected officials to resign their positions because of an arrest, but an elected official must vacate a seat upon conviction.

Hagan, a father of three, was arrested Dec. 6 on a charge of possession of child pornography.

If convicted, Hagan faces 40 years on the child porn offense. He will also be required to register as a sex offender if convicted. He faces up to 25 years on the embezzlement charge.

The embezzlement charge stemmed from a missing laptop that the city of Ocean Springs provided to Hagan to conduct city business.