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BUCKSPORT, Maine — A 42-year-old Bucksport man arrested earlier this month after being charged with attempting to acquire child porn over the Internet has been found dead at his home from a suspected drug overdose.

At the time of his death on Wednesday, Elmer “Buddy” Stevens was out on bail after his arrest Jan. 16 on charges of criminal solicitation, Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety, confirmed Friday, citing a report from the state police Computer Crimes Unit.

McCausland said Stevens left behind a suicide note, the contents of which are not being disclosed.

After his arrest, Stevens was released on bail with several conditions, including that he have no contact with children. He had been scheduled for arraignment on April 21.

According to state police, the charges stemmed from a Web broadcast in November of the sexual assault of a 6-year-old boy in Michigan.

Police in Michigan said Stevens had e-mailed a man in that state requesting graphic webcam photos of young children being sexually abused. That Michigan man is also under arrest and charged with abusing his own children. Several other people also were arrested and charged in the assault, according to published reports.

During their investigation, Michigan police officers developed a rapport with one of the suspects, who agreed to allow them to use his Web profile as part of their investigation to search for additional suspects. Police said Stevens was identified as one of the people who was watching and who contacted the Web site requesting that they do it again.

Police in Michigan contacted the Computer Crimes Unit in Maine on Jan. 15 with information about Stevens. The next day state police and Bucksport police searched Stevens’ apartment and confiscated his laptop computer.

dgagnon@bangordailynews.net

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