COVINGTON — An 18-year-old Covington-area man faces charges after law enforcement discovered nearly 400 illicit files during a digital forensic investigation, authorities announced Wednesday.

Marcus Schech was taken into custody on Oct. 20 by members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force following an investigation led by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit, operating as part of the multi-agency Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The inquiry originated from a tip forwarded by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. On Aug. 20, detectives—assisted by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office and the Covington Police Department—executed a search warrant at Schech’s residence along the 100 block of North Drive.

During the August search, investigators uncovered five images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), prompting Schech's initial arrest. Authorities seized several electronic devices from the home for in-depth digital analysis.

A subsequent forensic examination of the seized electronics revealed an additional 373 images of CSAM alongside 25 images depicting bestiality, leading directly to his re-arrest on Oct. 20.