LOS GATOS — A man has surrendered to authorities to face child pornography charges after investigators allegedly discovered more than 750,000 sexual photos of boys buried in his backyard.

Michael F. Palmer, 53, of Los Gatos, appeared in federal court in San Jose last week after being indicted on suspicion of child pornography possession.

Palmer tucked the photos in ammunition boxes and covered them with plywood and plants, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Robin Mitchell said.

Hikers discovered the alleged stash in August 2005 when they stumbled over a partially uncovered hole in the ground.

A search turned up 15 more holes filled with child porn, mostly from other countries, Mitchell said. Officers also seized non-pornographic, homemade films of Palmer with boys at nudist camps in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, she said.

Messages left for Palmer’s lawyer late Wednesday afternoon were not immediately returned.

Palmer remains free on $50,000 bond and is set to return to court April 16./AP