“Drone Boy” who made flying flamethrower now charged with child porn

Austin Haughwout's phone got searched after his "assaultive behavior" with cops.

Joe Mullin

A still from a YouTube video of Austin Haughwout's drone, armed with a handgun.

Austin Haughwout

Austin Haughwout thought he'd be facing a legal showdown with the Federal Aviation Administration over his armed drone, but now he's got bigger legal problems.

The 19-year-old Connecticut man was arrested yesterday on child pornography charges. He also faces charges of enticing a minor and attempted sexual assault. The arrest warrant is sealed, but local police outlined the allegations against Haughwout to The Hartford Courant.

The arrest is a result of a "lengthy investigation" that has its origins in a violent incident from July 2015. That month, Haughwout went to the police department to turn himself in due to charges "stemming from a confrontation with officers at the town's library," the Courant reported. While he was being arrested, Haughwout engaged in "assaultive behavior with the officers that were taking him into custody."

Haughwout's cell phone recorded the entire incident. Police got a warrant to view his phone and collect the video it had recorded as evidence of violent behavior toward the police officers.

"When that phone was being processed, investigators also found images of child pornography," Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn told the newspaper. Police discovered Haughwout had communicated with an unidentified juvenile, seeking to meet that person "for a sexual act."

Haughwout gained international notoriety for his showdown with the FAA over armed drones. Last July, he posted a YouTube video entitled "Flying Gun," which showed a drone that fired a handgun. He also showcased a drone he equipped with a flamethrower. The videos got more than 4 million views.

The FAA asked Haughwout and his father, who had helped build the devices, for records regarding their purchases. The Haughwouts didn't comply, and the FAA took the issue to court in February.

Haughwout's attorney is scheduled to face off with the FAA over the matter next week. It isn't clear how the younger Haughwout's arrest will affect legal proceedings over the drone videos.