Florida Police Officer Fired After Sharing Child Porn Images Online
When you think of child porn users, you likely don’t think of police officers. In fact, they’re probably the last type of person you’d expect to view child porn images and videos. But a police officer was recently arrested in Florida for child porn crimes.
A Daytona Beach police officer was arrested on April 20 after police claim he allegedly shared child porn images on social media. The police department was made aware of someone sharing images and videos of children under the age of 10 engaging in sex acts. The department’s Advanced Technology and Cybercrimes unit investigated the case and determined that the suspect was a 22-year-old officer who had been with the department for two years. He was immediately fired from his position.
Police executed a search warrant at the man’s home. He was subsequently arrested on seven counts of child pornography possession. The investigation is still underway and more charges could be added. The police officer is currently in the Volusia County Branch Jail on a $70,000 bond.
The Daytona Beach Police Department is proud of the way they investigated the incident. The police chief stated that it is committed to holding their own police officers responsible for their actions. Anyone found to be in violation of the law will be held accountable.
When is Child Porn a Problem?
Some people are under the impression that viewing child porn is OK, since the person is merely viewing the images. However, child porn is different from adult porn. In adult porn, the actors are voluntary participants. They consented to be in the film or photos. This is never true for child porn, as children cannot consent to sex at any time.
This makes child porn illegal, even to watch it. Therefore, viewing or downloading child porn is always a problem. Even if the viewer is not physically abusing the child, they are still allowing the abuse to continue by watching the images. The viewer may not want to have sex with the kids they are watching online, but they are still perpetrating the sexual abuse and allowing it to continue.
There are a couple issues with child porn. First, two crimes are being committed at the same time. Not only is a child being sexually abused, but a person is watching a child being sexually abused. Also, when a person watches child porn, it increases demand for child porn images. In order to meet this demand, people who make these films and photos will sexually abuse more and more children. It becomes a vicious cycle.
Contact a Legal Professional for Help
Police officers are supposed to protect children. It’s a huge part of their job. It’s ironic when they engage in activities that actually harm children, such as child porn.
Police officers arrested for child porn crimes will face a lot of negative publicity. Get the best assistance and defense with help from a Florida child pornography lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit. Schedule a consultation by filling out the online form or calling (352) 505-1799.
Source:
wfla.com/news/florida/florida-police-officer-arrested-on-child-porn-charges/