An Anchorage clinical social worker who specialized in the treatment of children has been arrested on child pornography charges.

Police searched the West Anchorage home of 46-year-old Andrew William Young after receiving a tip Young possessed images of sexual abuse of children as young as five or six years old. Police found multiple computers, multiple hard drives, thumb drives, and printed material in Young's residence, which contained "thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse.

He was arrested on one federal count of possession of child pornography, but police say there could be more on the way.

Anchorage Police Detective Mark Thomas explained, "We're going through hundreds and hundreds of items of evidence that were seized from his residence. It's sad. It's tremendously sad volume that's in there."

Police say the investigation doesn't stop there.

Detective Thomas explained their concerns, "There is potential for victims here in Anchorage and anywhere that he has traveled which is around the world."

Detectives are bracing for what else they might discover.

"It's very sad and once this is all said and done who knows what could happen, who knows how many victims we could find, if we find any. The best case scenario is there was never a real child touched," said Detective Thomas.

And the nature of his job gives police an even bigger concern.

Young is employed by the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

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His resume shows that he has worked at Elmendorf Air Force Base and has taught elementary-aged students. It also says that he "founded and ran (a) non-profit corporation dedicated to researching and treating sexually abused boys," and once won a "Courage Award" given to "individuals working on behalf of sexually abused children."

Anchorage Police Department Cyber Crimes Detective Tammy Dunn said, "In this instance, he's a clinical therapist solely for kids and finding that out and finding out the gravity of everything put us in a heightens awareness of getting to those kids, if they exist."

Police detectives are investigating whether Young has had any child exploitation victims in Alaska. He is known to have lived in Texas, Florida, Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Germany and Iraq.

Police say the investigation is ongoing due to the "extensive amount of evidence."

Anyone with information about Andrew William Young is asked to call Anchorage Police Department Detective Tammy Dunn at (907) 786- 2609.