Cops Find Porn, Snapping Turtles and a Ferret

Police say they found explicit images and movies of children in a filthy home.

A Torrington man was charged with child pornography possession on Wednesday and might have to find another place to live after police found three snapping turtles and a ferret in a fish tank while raiding his home on Wednesday.

Police were executing a warrant at Andrew Pattrell's home at 59 Center St. on Wednesday afternoon and said they found 165 photos and 54 videos of child porn on a computer and external hard drive inside the home. Most of the pornography was of children who were under 10 years old, police said.

While searching Pattrell's home, police found the live snapping turtles in a dresser drawer in the kitchen, police said.

Pattrell, 25, told police he rescued the turtles and has been hand feeding them more than a year. 

Police said Pattrell also had a ferret in a fish tank in his kitchen and a small outdoor propane grill was on top of the tank.

The ferret was living in unsanitary conditions, according to police, and there was extreme clutter in the apartment.

Pattrell has been charged with first-degree possession of child pornography and possession of a controlled substance because police said he had 14 Valium pills that were not prescribed for him.

Animal control took the animals and Torrington's fire marshal was contacted to inspect the home.

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