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A federal grand jury has charged a Richmond police officer with receiving and possessing child pornography last year.

Charles E. Church, 40, had been charged in Richmond courts related to the alleged sexual assault of a juvenile. But those charges were dropped after a federal child pornography charge was filed last month.

A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Church, accusing him of knowingly receiving child pornography six times from last Oct. 10 to Nov. 4 and with two counts of possession of child pornography.

Church, with the Richmond Police Department for 12 years, is on unpaid administrative leave. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison on each charge. There is a mandatory minimum term of five years if convicted.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of his tablet and a laptop computer and two cellphones.

At an earlier hearing in federal court, an investigator testified that when Church was read his Miranda rights last November, he said the tablet belonged to him.

Church had faced three charges in Richmond court in connection with the sexual assault of a child younger than 13. Authorities said those charges have been withdrawn for the time being.