Downtown hotel manager arrested for child porn
SAN ANTONIO – Neighbors on East Elmview Place say they knew something was seriously wrong two weeks ago, when a group of FBI agents began banging on their neighbor’s door. The neighbors are now finding out investigators were searching Phillip Wade Henderson’s home and computers for child pornography. Henderson, 51, is a manager at the Holiday Inn Market Square. FBI agents arrested him at his job Wednesday on charges of distributing child pornography.
The FBI began investigating Henderson in February. Court documents show, at that time, an undercover agent based in Kansas City claims he had access to Henderson’s computer through a public file sharing program. The Criminal Complaint shows agents downloaded more than 150 pornographic images of children from an IP address linked to Henderson’s computer.
Investigators describe the pictures they found as horrific and disturbing. Many of those sexually explicit images and videos show toddlers and other children bound, gagged and tortured. Henderson’s lawyer, Van Hilley, says his client has no blemishes on his record, no complaints at work, no complaints from his neighbors. Hilley admits the nature of the criminal charges are disgusting, but says he does not believe Henderson has a fascination with children. "The FBI found nothing in his house. No chains, no whips, no handcuffs, no children's toys in his car, nothing that indicates this man had stepped over the line," said Hilley.
U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Nowak set Henderson’s Bond at $50-thousand during a detention hearing Thursday.
The court also set strict bond conditions which order Henderson to wear an ankle monitor, avoid the internet, avoid contact with children, and he must stay away from his home near Alamo Heights High School, among other things.
Henderson’s employer released the following statement to News 4 WOAI:
“The Holiday Inn San Antonio Market Square holds the safety, comfort and well-being of our guests and employees as our top priority and concern. The hotel continues to cooperate fully with local and federal authorities in their investigation on the alleged activity and all further questions should be directed to the San Antonio Police Department or Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
