VASSALBORO (AP) – The supervisor of the Maine Computer Crimes Task Force has been reassigned after funding cuts eliminated his position.

State Police Sgt. Glenn Lang was in charge of investigating computer-related crimes in Maine. In his absence only one officer will be left to investigate identity theft and the child exploitation on the Internet.

Lang, who now will work as a training sergeant at Maine’s Criminal Justice Academy, said the state will have to slow its prosecution of computer crimes against children once he leaves.

“It’s the fastest growing crime in the country,” he said. “How do you leave this? Some of these people are molesting children in their own homes. How do you walk away from that?”

The unit last year received 1,216 complaints, more than twice received in 2002. Internet crimes against children rose 237 percent in the same period and reports of identity theft rose 50 percent.

“Right now, I have 60 felony child solicitation or exploitation cases that have not been touched,” Lang said. “They haven’t even been looked at.”

State Police Lt. John Dyer said he plans to ask the Legislature to resume funding Lang’s position, which combined with the cost of operating the task force offices cost the state about $80,000 per year.

“It’s a very important position,” Dyer said. “The problem is, there is no funding to carry the position for now.”

Without the analysis Lang performed, Dyer said auxiliary task force members from the Lewiston and Brunswick police departments will only investigate serious cases until the position’s funding can be reinstated.

“It has to have the effect that the other cases get pushed back. We’re faced with what we’re faced with,” he said.

AP-ES-07-09-04 1443EDT