Romulus man charged federally after found phone reveals alleged child pornography, FBI reports

An inspection of a lost and found cellphone in Romulus, Michigan, led to the discovery of recordings of possible child sexual exploitation. 

The investigation is now a federal case, with a criminal complaint filed on April 23 against Paul Edward Maher, 61, of Romulus in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The activity is alleged to have taken place between Dec. 1, 2026, and April 6, 2026, in Wayne County, court documents say. 

The investigation began after someone went to the police station in Romulus, Michigan, on April 6, saying that they found a cellular phone in the parking lot of a nearby U.S. Post Office, according to the FBI special agent who filed the criminal report 

When the finder opened the phone in hopes of identifying the owner, they saw a video that they believed depicted a person who was kidnapped and held against their will, court documents state. 

After presenting the phone to a police officer, the officer believed it to be a fantasy video, but tried to tap through the phone to learn who the owner was.  

That's when a second video played, which investigators say involved child sexual exploitation. Upon seeing that, the officer dialed 911 on the phone to get a trace on the device's phone number. The officer placed the phone in "airplane" mode, which disables wireless communication to and from such a device, and notified the FBI Detroit office of the incident. 

A subpoena to the wireless communication provider provided the name and subscriber information for the account. Following up on leads, investigators said they found the man's address, driver's license and a social media account where he had posted a photo of a girl about age 11.  

A search warrant for the device discovered about 18 images and 20 videos that investigators say "meet the federal definition of child pornography." 

Investigators also found, through the device, multiple conversations via social media services that described sexual activity with individuals who identified themselves as, or appeared to be, minors.