WAITSBURG – Waitsburg resident, Tysen R. Beckner, now faces additional charges for possession of child pornography, according to Walla Walla County Sheriff John Turner, who spoke at Waitsburg’s July 16 city council meeting.

Beckner previously faced charges for severely beating his girlfriend’s child, who was left in his care on the night of June 17. According to a Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office report, medics were called to Beckner’s apartment on the morning of June 18, after a family member discovered the child with “horrific” multiple bruises to the 4-year-old boy’s head, face, neck, shoulder, back, torso, legs and arms.

Beckner was arrested by Nez Perce County, Ida. sheriff’s deputies on the evening of June 18 and was later extradited to Walla Walla for prosecution. Beckner plead not guilty to first-degree child assault charges at his arraignment on July 6 and a trial date has been set for Aug. 18.

At Thursday’s city council meeting in Waitsburg, Mayor Walt Gobel asked Turner, who was in attendance, how Beckner was apprehended so quickly. Turner said Beckner was immediately identified and an arrest warrant was issued right away.

“We put the information in the teletype system and blasted it out all 360 directions and the deputies over in Nez Perce, Ida., did a great job of locating him and scooping him up,” said Turner.

Turner added that a search warrant on Beckner’s residence was served following the initial incident and that deputies recovered digital equipment, computers and cell phones which were taken to the forensics lab at the Walla Walla Police Department.

“They unfortunately located some child pornography images on his phone. We verified from other files and the bill that it was indeed his phone so additional charges of child pornography were added yesterday,” Turner said.

Beckner now faces charges of first-degree assault of a child – domestic violence, fourth degree assault and malicious mischief, and the new child pornography charges. “He’s facing some serious charges,” Turner said.

Beckner is being detained in the Walla Walla County Jail with total bail set at $220,000.