Stuart McKay suddenly resigned his position on the Ferndale School Board this past June. Yesterday evening, sheriff’s deputies booked McKay, age 67, into the Whatcom County jail on a charge of possessing pornography depicting minors.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office said the details surrounding McKay’s arrest will be released later this morning. According to jail records, as of 7:30am, McKay remained in custody.
McKay is listed as owner/operator of McKay’s Variety and Antiques at 2036 Main Street on his LinkedIn profile.
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A news release from the WCSO explained what led up to the arrest,
A WCSO Detective developed probable cause to arrest McKay after working with BP Cherry Point Refinery officials who had initially responded to concerns about a computer virus on one of their machines. The computer had been secured and was being worked on by their investigators in mid-June of 2016. The Sheriff’s Office was notified that suspicious material was found on the computer which resulted in the impoundment of the computer by the Sheriff’s Office on June 28th, 2016. Sheriff’s Office investigators continued to work with BP officials as they performed a forensic investigation related to computer use, data and internet searches by the former Matrix contract employee, Mr. McKay.
In August the results of the company investigation were forwarded to the Sheriff’s Office who had also commenced a forensic investigation on the computer that had been turned over to us in June. Investigators found evidence of an extensive amount of child pornography contained on the computer, to include sexually explicit images of infants and young children, which resulted in the issuance of the probable cause for arrest of Mr. McKay yesterday. Currently we have no reason to believe any of the images are of local children or persons McKay has had contact with. He declined to speak with investigators.
Yesterday evening deputies contacted McKay at a residence located at [4900 block of] Sucia Drive in Ferndale WA. He was taken into custody and booked into the Whatcom County Jail. The matter is still under investigation and multiple counts of Possession of Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Behavior both first and second degree are anticipated to be charged.
UPDATE 9/4/16
Jail records indicate McKay was released from custody today after posting bond.
