Postal employee charged with searching for, viewing child porn at work

A US Postal Service worker was charged with viewing child pornography on government computers, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Stephen Mantha, 62, of Spencer, was charged with possession of child pornography and accessing with intent to view child pornography.

He was arrested Thursday and is being detained pending a hearing scheduled for Sept. 27.

According to court documents, the USPS Office of Inspector General was notified in August 2015 of some suspicious internet searches allegedly being conducted by Mantha on a computer at a Shrewsbury processing and distribution center.

Further review indicated Mantha was using the computer to search for, and view, such pictures, prosecutors said.

A later search of his home reportedly revealed electronic equipment including computers, DVDs and more than a dozen thumb drives, with three such drives already found to contain child pornography data, authorities said.

A spokesperson told the Worcester Telegram and Gazette that Mantha has been working at the agency since 2005 and remains employed for the time being.