HOUSTON — A Houston firefighter who is facing a felony charge after sexually graphic images and videos of children were allegedly found in his phone faced a judge on Monday.
Kenneth Zink, 47, is charged with possession of child pornography. He was released on a $25,000 bond.
Police said they found videos of children as young as 7 years old on his cellphone, according to court documents.
Prosecutors also allege Zink recorded a 14-year-old girl in the shower and confessed to his wife and family after being caught.
Zink's court documents show he is a 21-year veteran of the Houston Fire Department.
"We attribute trust to our family members, we attribute trust to HFD, they're out there protecting us, and that's not what he did in this case, he did not protect his family member, he did not protect the children in these videos,” Alex Napuri, a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, said.
Napuri said Zink could face more charges as the investigation continues.
HFD released a statement Monday morning saying Zink will be removed from his assignment and placed on administrative status. They have also started the administrative investigation process.
“The employee's actions, if true, do not reflect the values of the Houston Fire Department, nor do they speak for the thousands of hardworking firefighters who do great things every day," the statement said.
Zink is facing up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
As a condition of his bond, Zink is not allowed to have contact with anyone 17 years old or younger. He must also wear a GPS monitor and is not allowed to have a cell phone or computer with access to the internet.
Zink is married and has a 10-year-old son. According to court documents, he works at Fire Station 99 near Bush Intercontinental Airport.