This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A former counselor at a Clearfield group home that, among other things, treats youthful sex offenders, has been charged with 20 counts of second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor, after police allegedly uncovered a digital trove of child pornography at his home.

In 2nd District Court on Wednesday, Skyler Eugene Hartsough, 26, also was charged with third-degree felony counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person and marijuana cultivation, as well as a class B misdemeanor drug paraphernalia possession.

Hartsough had worked at Youth Health Associates' Clearfield facility until his recent arrest. YHA officials reportedly said nothing amiss occurred at the group home relating to Hartsough, but they did not immediately respond to inquiries about exactly how long he had worked at the facility.

Members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force served a warrant on Hartsough's Ogden home on Tuesday, eventually finding numerous, explicit images and video on multiple computers and electronic devices involving prepubescent male and female children engaged in various sexual acts.

A probable cause statement claims that after being read his rights, Hartsough agreed to speak with ICAC agents about their discoveries, and that he admitted to several years of using peer-to-peer file sharing to obtain child porn.

Law officers also reported discovering 10 marijuana plants growing in Hartsough's basement, as well as a rifle.

He was then arrested and booked into the Weber County jail, where he remained on Thursday in lieu of nearly $245,000 bond.

The Utah Department of Human Services said Hartsough was a part-time caseworker at the Ogden Christmas Box House from March 18, 2015 through June 26, 2015.

He was terminated for "unpredictable and unreliable time and attendance," said Ashley Sumner, with DHS.

Christmas Box Houses, also known as "emergency children's shelters," located in Salt Lake City, Ogden and Moab, offer shelter and food, as well as on-site therapy, medical and dental evaluations, and recreational activities.

The Ogden shelter operates through a partnership with the state Division of Child and Family Services.

Twitter: @remims