Former Top Chef: Just Desserts Finalist Indicted on Kiddie Porn Charges

Erstwhile contestant on the popular reality competition has landed himself in hot water with Texas authorities over his alleged taste in child pornography

By Josh Grossberg Oct 24, 2011 5:00 PMTags
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Morgan Wilson could be in store for a whole other kind of just desserts.

The runner-up of last year's inaugural season of Bravo's Top Chef: Just Desserts has been indicted on felony child pornography charges.

According to the Star-Courier of Plano, Texas, the 38-year-old Wilson was originally arrested on Dec. 10, 2010, following an investigation by undercover officers. According to police, Morgan was flagged after his computer received three alleged child porn images via peer-to-peer networks three months earlier.

An attorney for Wilson, Roy L. Merrill, declined to comment.

Authorities traced the file transfers from Limewire to his IP address, according to the indictment. A search of his home eventually turned up photos and videos of young children, some of them toddlers, engaged in various sexual acts, according to prosecutors.

Per a police affidavit, Wilson admitted that he had viewed the stash on his laptop, which was subsequently confiscated by FBI investigators.

The former reality star now faces three, second-degree felony charges of possession with intent to promote child pornography, which could land him up to 10 years in prison if convicted. He was released on $10,000 bail on condition that he not have access to a computer unless it has monitoring software.

No word whether Morgan will keep his gig as executive pastry chef at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas. A rep for the hotel also wasn't talking. Nor is it clear how his arrest will impact the polarizing chef's custody of his young son, whom he frequently mentioned on the popular culinary competition.