Mayville man was under investigation for child porn at the time of his death

MAYVILLE, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A Mayville, North Dakota man, who authorities say shot and killed himself on January 18, was under investigation for child pornography.

A search warrant from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) that was filed in Traill County was unsealed on January 25. It says 23 files containing child pornography were traced to the cell phone of 59-year-old Steve Volla.

The investigation began in November when the activity was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. According to the court filing, photos and videos were found showing adults sexually assaulting children, and children in sexually explicit positions.

The photos and videos included sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, and also include girls ranging in age from four to 16-years-old.

On Wednesday, January 18, the Department of Homeland Security and North Dakota BCI were attempting to serve a search warrant at Volla’s rural Mayville residence. Law enforcement say Volla barricaded himself in a room in a shop building. The Grand Forks Regional SWAT Team was requested to assist and negotiators spoke with him by phone.

Police say Volla died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound around 6:30 p.m. The warrant said several electronics were taken from Volla’s home on January 18.

Volla was laid to rest on January 24, as many remembered him as a pillar of the local car collecting community, a farmer and a family man.

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