AUSTIN – A Central Texas college student has come up with a novel use for his iPod music player — he used it to store illegal pornography, according to an indictment announced Thursday by state Attorney General Greg Abbott.

In the attorney general’s first such prosecution involving the portable music players, Ron James Guzman, 38, has been accused of nine counts of possession of child pornography and six counts of promotion of child pornography. Abbott’s office said Guzman had several lewd videos of children stored on his iPod.

“Innovative technology has made electronic recordings and photographs more portable and accessible,” Abbot said Thursday. “Unfortunately, sexual predators are taking advantage of these new developments in order to exploit children.”

An attorney for Guzman could not be reached. Abbott’s office said that Guzman was arrested Jan. 11 and is being held in the Hays County Jail.

Investigators from Abbott’s Cyber Crimes unit searched Guzman’s San Marcos home in April after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to Abbott’s office. A forensic examination of an iPod confiscated there revealed several stored images and videos of child pornography.

A spokesman for Abbott said the iPod was an older version incapable of playing the videos but able to upload digitized media onto a computer. Guzman identified himself as a student at Texas State University in San Marcos, Abbott’s office said.

Promotion of child pornography is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine; possession of child pornography is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine.

Abbott’s office said that it has obtained convictions against 38 men on child pornography charges since he assumed the post in December 2002.