Hearing set for producer nabbed in child-porn case

A freelance TV producer who recently worked the NBA playoffs for ESPN and ABC has been federally indicted on child pornography charges and will have a detention hearing in federal court today.

On Monday, an indictment against Kevin Stewart McMahan, 49, was unsealed in federal court during an initial appearance. McMahan is charged with one count each of possession and transportation of child pornography.

McMahan was arrested Thursday at the Salt Lake International Airport while trying to board a flight to California. Police say they found hundreds of images of child pornography in his luggage, including some as young as 8 months old.

Marijuana and methamphetamine were also discovered during a search of McMahan's bags, according to the indictment.

Airport screeners discovered the materials because of a lighter left in his carry-on luggage. A secondary screener then found a glass drug paraphernalia pipe, according to the indictment. When asked if the pipe was used to smoke crack cocaine, McMahan told them it was actually used for smoking meth, the indictment stated.

McMahan's checked-in luggage was pulled off the plane and searched. Investigators found a total of 46 DVDs, some of them containing children under 16 years old engaged in sex acts, and sex toys, according to the indictment.

A search of McMahan's computer turned up more images of naked males "that appeared to be very young," according to the indictment.

"McMahan stated that he has a circle of friends that exchange the porn amongst themselves. He stated that he had copied some, rented some and some are homemade," the indictment stated.

Possessing child porn has a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.

On his Web site, McMahan lists his occupation as being a remote broadcast operations producer and technical manager. His bio says he has 25 years of television broadcasting experience "specializing in the planning and live execution of network sports coverage and high-profile corporate events."

---

E-mail: preavy@desnews.com