LEWISTON – A third person has been arrested in what police have described as one of the worst child pornography cases they have seen.

Nicholas Richard, 25, was charged Wednesday morning with one count of disseminating sexually explicit material.

Police went to Richard’s apartment at 20 Howe St. after obtaining information about him while investigating a local couple, Stacie and James Fisk.

The Fisks were arrested last weekend on charges of sexually abusing a local 14-year-old girl. James Fisk also has been charged with disseminating child pornography.

According to Lewiston Police Chief William Welch, investigators have seized a total of nine computers from Richard and the Fisks. They’ve also confiscated more than 50 CDs and dozens of photographs and videos showing adults and children engaged in sexual acts.

Some of the pornography taken from Richard was similar to the material confiscated from the Fisks, Welch said.

Richard and the Fisks knew each other, but police are still investigating how they met and the nature of their relationship, Welch added.

Police say the investigation into what may be a larger child pornography ring began when a 14-year-old girl reported that she had been abused by the Fisks.

In addition to telling police that she had performed sexual acts with the couple, the girl gave police a CD containing a graphic video of an adult performing sexual acts on a child who appeared to be 2 years old.

The girl told police that James Fisk gave her the CD, Welch said.

James Fisk, 51, was arrested July 1 on a charge of disseminating sexually explicit material. The child sex abuse charges came a day later, after police interviewed Stacie Fisk.

According to court papers, Stacie Fisk, 32, has signed a written statement acknowledging that she and her husband had sexual contact with the 14-year-old victim on three occasions.

Police say the couple invited the girl to their former apartment at 85 Horton St. and gave her beer.

After the girl was “buzzed” from the alcohol, the couple performed oral sex on her, and on one occasion Stacie Fisk watched as James Fisk had sexual intercourse with her, Lewiston Police Detective Joseph Bradeen wrote in an affidavit.

Stacie and James Fisk each have been charged with three counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The child pornography charges against James Fisk and Richard also carry maximum sentences of five years in prison.

Richard and the Fisks remained at the Androscoggin County Jail Wednesday night.

Welch did not know whether other arrests would be made. He said it would be weeks before investigators would be able to go through all of the material taken from Richard and the Fisks.

Since some of the material appears to be homemade, police will focus on identifying and finding other victims, Welch added.