Firefighter Accused of Using Firehouse Wifi for Kik CSAM

A firefighter in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is behind bars after investigators say he used his firehouse’s internet connection to distribute CSAM, including imagery allegedly involving his own daughter.

Authorities arrested 35-year-old Joshua Edmund Murphy of Brunswick, Maryland, following a joint investigation by the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Unit and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Murphy faces 16 total counts, including eight felonies for promotion and distribution of CSAM and eight misdemeanors for possession. He is currently being held without bond.

The case began when NCMEC received a CyberTipline report earlier this fall linking a social media account to uploads of suspected CSAM. The tip identified activity on the messaging app Kik, a platform notorious for its history of being exploited by sex offenders, pedophiles, CSAM collectors, and child traffickers.

According to charging documents, the flagged account uploaded multiple videos and images of girls under 16 around September 10, 2025. Detectives traced the IP address back to the fire station where Murphy had been employed as a firefighter since January 2018.

Subpoenaed records from Verizon, Yahoo, and Kik linked the account and its recovery phone number directly to Murphy. When detectives executed search warrants at the fire station on October 23, they seized a black iPhone 15, which Murphy admitted was his. A preliminary search revealed more suspected child sexual abuse material, including one image that investigators say depicted Murphy’s seven-year-old daughter.

Murphy reportedly confessed that the Kik account belonged to him and admitted to storing and distributing illegal material while on duty. The alleged crimes occurred between September and October 2025, some of them while he was inside the firehouse.

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney called the allegations “deeply disturbing,” noting the particular concern when such crimes involve someone “who holds the public’s trust.” Murphy’s employer, the Prince George’s County Fire Department, confirmed he has been placed on administrative leave and that the agency is cooperating fully with the investigation. Whether that’s paid or unpaid leave has been left unknown.

This case underscores an alarming reality. Another public servant, someone entrusted with protecting lives, has instead used his position and resources to exploit the most vulnerable. Firefighters, like police officers and teachers, are pillars of community trust. When one of them commits a crime this depraved, it stains not just the uniform but the public confidence it represents.

Murphy remains in custody as investigators complete a forensic analysis of his devices. The Prince George’s County Police Department is coordinating with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and other federal agencies to determine the full scope of his activity.

(Sources)