A 22-year-old from Wuppertal is suspected of having severely sexually abused a total of four children over the years.
As the public prosecutor announced on Wednesday, they have already brought charges against the man in the district court.
According to the investigation, between 2016 and 2021 he repeatedly committed sexual violence against a girl and three boys, took photos and videos of them and also distributed them.
The evaluation of the material seized would have resulted in indications of proceedings against around 100 people who are said to have procured the child pornographic material.
At the beginning of the abuse acts, the youngest victim was five months old, a boy only one year, one four and one twelve years old.
They came from his family and private environment, but were not biological children, said a spokesman for the public prosecutor.
The investigators came across the man through conspicuous chats.
Also accused is a 44-year-old who was in contact with the 22-year-old and is said to have severely abused a one-year-old boy several times.
While the 44-year-old is in custody, the 22-year-old was placed in a psychiatric facility because he could only be less criminally responsible, it said.