An Oklahoma man who allegedly sexually abused an infant and posted a recording of the assault on social media was arrested in Texas, officials reported.
Brice Gage Watkins, 22, was arrested Thursday by U.S. Marshals in San Marcos, Texas, after being charged Aug. 14 with one felony count of distribution of child pornography, police said in a statement. Watkins was later also charged with manufacturing child pornography and three counts of lewd acts with a child under 12.
Brice Watkins just moments after his arrest in San Marcos, TX. Watkins was wanted for allegedly raping a 6 month old baby. Great work by the US Marahals, who took him into custody this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/Hj0pgSDA03
— Oklahoma City Police (@OKCPD) September 10, 2020
At the time of the abuse, the infant victim was 6 months old, and turned 1 in June. Watkins allegedly distributed the video to at least two women, one of which turned the video over to police Aug. 11 and said she recognized the child in the video and believed it was recorded in the victim’s home, according to Enid News. The woman was reportedly a friend of the child’s mother.
The second woman told police she received the video with a message reading “whose child is this.” Both women reportedly told law enforcement that they believed Watkins was the man in the video molesting the child. (RELATED: The Wayfair Sex Trafficking Theories Went Viral — But Here’s What Law Enforcement Says This Crime Actually Looks Like)
The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force took Watkins into custody at a “known associated residence” in San Marcos, the U.S. Marshals said in a statement.
We just learned that fugitive Brice Watkins was taken into custody in San Marcos, Texas. Great work by the US Marshals and all involved investigators! pic.twitter.com/u4CjTl0IBo
— Oklahoma City Police (@OKCPD) September 10, 2020