SAN JACINTO COUNTY, TX- A Cleveland, Texas, man already jailed on charges of online solicitation of a minor is now facing an additional first-degree felony charge of possessing child pornography, authorities said Monday.
According to the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, 38-year-old Joseph David Yaws was formally charged following a months-long investigation conducted by the department’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID). The probe, which began in October 2024, uncovered evidence linking Yaws to a substantial collection of explicit material involving minors.
Yaws was served with an arrest warrant on Monday, April 7, while in custody at the San Jacinto County Jail, where he was already being held on unrelated felony charges. CID detectives also executed a search warrant at that time, seizing a significant quantity of digital evidence alleged to contain “numerous illegal and disturbing files.”
Due to the volume and severity of the recovered materials, Yaws has now been charged with Possession of Child Pornography – First Degree Felony.
San Jacinto County Sheriff Sam Houston praised the investigative team for their persistence in the case.
“This is a deeply disturbing case, but it reflects the unwavering commitment of our CID detectives to protect children and pursue justice for victims,” Houston said in a statement. “Predators like this have no place in our community, and we will continue to seek them out and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
