A Vernal man on probation for downloading and sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material online is at it again and facing a long list of new charges. Russell Eugene Drake pleaded Guilty to two counts of 3rd Degree Felony Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in February 2024, having 10 additional charges dismissed. Now on probation, 41-year-old Drake is supervised and supposed to have his internet access controlled by a family member. In March, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip that a user was uploading files containing Child Sexual Abuse Material. The tip was sent to the Vernal Police Department whose investigation identified that the user matched known information about Drake. During a June meeting with his AP&P agent, Drake was questioned by officers and he confessed to having a second device in his truck and that it contained Child Sexual Abuse Material. Additionally, a search warrant revealed multiple electronic and storage devices at Drake’s residence and he was arrested and booked into Uintah County Jail. He is charged with 26 counts of 1st Degree Felony Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
