FALMOUTH — A local attorney was released on $500 bail after being arrested Aug. 27 for allegedly possessing child pornography.

Lawrence Winger, 63, of 12 Bay Shore Drive, was arrested by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, which received a tip about him. Winger is charged with possessing sexually explicit material of someone under the age of 12. His computer allegedly contained dozens of images and videos of child porn, according to spokesman Steve McCausland of the Maine Department of Public Safety.

“They seized his computer and after an initial review, they described what they found on it,” McCausland said. “There will be a complete forensic examination of the computer done at the computer crime lab in Vassalboro sometime in the near future.”

Calls to Winger, who practices law in Portland, were not returned.

Special agent Justin Kittredge of the Computer Crimes Unit led the investigation of Winger. He said police traced the images in July from an Internet address that resolved back to Winger’s home, which they later entered with a search warrant.

“While executing that search warrant I was able to meet with Mr. Winger and chat with him about the investigation,” Kittredge said. “And through his cooperation and forensic analysis we were able to identify his computer, which was used for the searching, downloading and viewing of child pornographic files.”

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Kittredge said Winger has been charged with a Class C felony, and that the district attorney could decide to charge Winger with dissemination of child pornography. He also said Winger was very cooperative.

“I think some people are surprised it’s an attorney, but obviously it goes to show that what a widespread problem it is,” Kittredge said. “It effects everybody, and luckily for us he was very mature and very cooperative.”

Falmouth Police Lt. John Kilbride his department was unaware an arrest had been made. He said state police would only alert the local police if they needed assistance. 

“They handle it pretty administratively, and they generally gather what they need for information, put the case together, and then either they will arrest or they will indict, it all depends on what they’re looking for,” Kilbride said.

Kilbride said the Falmouth Police Department doesn’t have the resources to set up these types of operations.

Winger has been practicing law in Maine since 1980. He has a law office at 75 Pearl St. in Portland, and specializes in labor law, employment law and civil litigation.

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He served as the chairman of the Human Resources Committee of the Maine Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1993 to 1995, and is a member of the Maine Bar Association and the Maine Trial Lawyers Association. He also practiced civil and criminal litigation in New York City from 1975 to 1980.

He is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School.

Colin Ellis can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or cellis@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @colinoellis.

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Lawrence Winger of Falmouth was arrested by Maine State Police for allegedly possessing child pornography.


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