Asked why he sent the relative the link to the website, the man facing charges replied by ’giggling,’ according to a police report.

WEST PALM BEACH — Angry that a relative would not send him money to buy drugs, Bryan Lovinger Mallek retaliated by sending the person pornographic images of children, West Palm Beach police said in arresting him Wednesday.

The 35-year-old West Palm Beach man faces one count of transmission of child pornography. He is scheduled to appear at a bail hearing Thursday morning.

Police began investigating the allegation March 5 when a man reported that Mallek sent him a link to a website that contained child pornography. He told police Mallek had become upset when he would not help him buy drugs.

When the man asked Mallek why he sent the link, Mallek responded by "giggling," according to the police report.

Police obtained a warrant to search Mallek’s home in the Villages of Palm Beach Lakes. Mallek reportedly told investigators that he used a smartphone to search for links, which brought him to a website that contained pornographic images of adults and children.

He also told investigators he later pawned the phone to get the drug money, the arrest report said. Detectives obtained another warrant to recover the cellphone, then confirmed Mallek sent the text message, according to the arrest report.

Detectives reportedly also recovered a hard drive that contained a message in which Malek graphically described his interest in viewing child pornography.

jwhigham@pbpost.com

@JuliusWhigham

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