Dogs Used to Detect Child Porn in Florida
You have probably heard of dogs that can sniff out drugs and bombs, but what about child porn? To be clear, these specially trained dogs in Florida can’t tell you where to find images and videos of children in sexually explicit poses. However, they can sniff out hidden electronic devices such as thumb drives. Chances are, if something like that is hidden, it contains images that the owner does not want others to see.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office uses a yellow Labrador retriever named Ty to perform this task. Ty is an Electronic Scent Detection Canine (ESDC), and he is trained to detect electronics, which emit a chemical scent. He can find thumb drives, SD cards and other electronics hidden in homes. He has been able to find electronics in the most unusual places, such as in between books and even in shower curtain rods. Suspects tend to get creative when hiding these important pieces of evidence, so Ty and similar dogs can help speed up the evidence discovery process.
At the scene of a possible child porn case, detectives will first enter the area and look for electronics first. Then they will bring in Ty to look for electronics in hidden areas that detectives may not know where to look. Electronics, particularly SD cards, are often as small as a fingernail, so searching for one can take a detective hours.
Ty, who was bought and trained by the sheriff’s office with federal money, is helping minors in other ways as well. When he is not detecting electronics, he works as a therapy dog for children. He helps anxious kids feel more comfortable, which can be particularly useful in child porn cases when talking to possible victims.
Dogs Used in Other Child Porn Cases
Porn dogs, as they are often called, are not new to child porn investigations. They have been used at least since 2015 in other parts of the country. In Indiana, one dog, a black Lab named Bear, was used at a child porn crime scene. Bear had spent eight months learning how to identify the scent of electronics to aid investigators.
While human investigators had removed electronic devices from the home in question, Bear was brought in and he found a secret hiding spot. He had found a hidden thumb drive. This thumb drive contained child porn and was used to convict Jared Fogle, the former spokesman for Subway, for child porn and sexual misconduct with minors.
Contact a Legal Professional for Help
People often go to great lengths to hide their child porn viewership. Many often hide thumb drives and other electronics, but getting away with this crime may no longer be an option thanks to these specially trained dogs.
Hiding child porn possession will no longer be easy for Florida residents. If you are accused of such a crime, contact Florida child pornography lawyer Gilbert A. Schaffnit. He can help you understand your legal rights so you can obtain a favorable outcome. Schedule a free consultation by filling out the online form or calling (352) 505-1799.
Resource:
miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article235097532.html
https://www.gilschaffnit.com/south-florida-police-officer-accused-of-child-porn/