University of Miami Sports Information Director Rick Korch is under investigation for possessing child pornography, The Miami Herald reported Tuesday.
At the time of publication Wednesday tonight, no charges had been filed.
University spokeswoman Margot Winick declined to comment on the issue, stating that the school does not discuss personnel matters. Efforts to contact Korch were unsuccessful.
The Herald also reported the following:
On Feb. 12, technician Alberto Perez reformatted the hard drive in Korch’s office computer after he complained it was too slow. During the work, Perez came across a video file featuring what he described as a prepubescent girl, according to a search warrant filed by Coral Gables police in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.
With the video, Perez found images of “scantily clad” girls that appeared to be between the ages of 10 and 15, and more than 10 files containing the word “pedo” in the file name – short for pedophilia.
After the discovery, the university contacted Coral Gables police. Det. Dean Wellinghoff impounded the computer.
Detectives searched Korch’s office at the Hecht Athletic Center on Feb. 25. They seized computers, floppy disks, documents, VHS tapes and hundreds of CDs and DVDs.
Korch has taken a leave of absence from his work. A secretary told The Herald that he hasn’t been in to work for approximately two weeks.
According to a university biography, Korch, 52, has been with the university since 2004, when he came to Miami from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Matthew Bunch may be contacted at m.bunch@umiami.edu.