AURORA | An Aurora man was arrested Thursday linked to a 2024 investigation into the sharing of child sexual abuse material through a messaging app, police said.

Brandon William Cross, 39, was arrested Sept. 3 by the Aurora Police fugitive unit on a warrant linked to charges of sexual exploitation of a child, police spokesperson Gabby Easterwood said in a statement.

The investigation began in 2024 after Aurora police detectives received four tips from Kik.com documenting accounts later associated with Cross that shared child sexual abuse material with other Kik users, police said.

Kik is a messaging app that allows for anonymous use among users.

Aurora’s Internet Crimes Against Children detectives also were notified by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations that agents working undercover on Kik had been in online groups where Cross allegedly traded child sexual abuse material with other users.

The federal agencies shared information from their investigations with Aurora police, according to the department.

Police obtained a warrant and searched Cross’s residence in February, seizing several electronic devices for forensic examination. Detectives found numerous child sexual abuse files on the devices, Easterwood said.

As of Thursday, Cross was being held at the Aurora municipal jail without bond, according to police.

Read more Most states prompt schools to teach about 9/11, but the details differ, AP finds

Read more Judge hitless in return but Yankees clinch 34th straight winning season with 5-3 win over Rockies

Read more Aurora prep sports scoreboard, 9.9.26