Former Maine government candidate in custody on child porn charges

PORTLAND, Maine – A former Maine governorship candidate was released on 50,000 bail on Saturday after being arrested for possession of child pornography.

Elliott Cutler is still in custody, Hancock County Jail officials said. The Computer Crimes Unit of the Maine State Police arrested Cutler on Friday at a Brooklyn home about 130 miles (210 kilometers) from Portland without incident. The 75-year-old twice ran as an independent for governor, using his personal resources to fund two failed campaigns.

Cutler’s attorney, Walt McKee, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday morning. Warrants were executed at two of Cutler’s homes earlier in the week.

Authorities say the investigation against Cutler began with a tip in December. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children told Maine State Police that someone in Maine had downloaded or uploaded a single illegal image.

Cutler now faces four counts of possessing sexually explicit material in a child under 12, prosecutors say. Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years.