Phone Repair Request to Child Porn Arrest

When your phone’s not working right, you want it fixed quickly so you can continue to use it as normal. However, you need to be mindful of what’s on your phone and who you’re showing it to. Showing a phone with child porn images to a mobile phone store employee could lead to serious legal issues.

This is what recently happened to a Fort Pierce man. The 25-year-old man now faces 100 felony counts of child pornography possession after detectives from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office found hundreds of images of child porn on his phone.

The images in questions showed very young children. The police report details each of the 100 images the man is charged with possessing. Most of the girls in the photos were under the age of 5. Some were as young as infants. The St. Lucie County sheriff called it ”the most disgusting thing you could see.”

The investigation began on November 12 when the man went into a T-Mobile store on North Kings Highway in Fort Pierce to get his phone repaired. He handed his phone to the employee, who saw some sexually explicit images of children, including a video clip of an adult male engaging in sexual acts with a young girl. The clerk called 911 and talked to detectives. They were then able to track him down and arrest him.

The clerk was shocked that the man would hand over his phone given the illegal images on it. He found the images disgusting. Police are glad that the employee took action, as he could have easily said nothing and refused to get involved. But the employee got information that allowed police to find the man’s residence and arrest him.

Police obtained a search warrant and the man was arrested at his home in Lakewood Park. His mother called it an emotional experience, with the house full of police. She claims that her son knew he had a problem. His bond has been set at $2.5 million.

Police charged the man with 100 charges. Although they could have easily charged him with more, 100 charges was all they could fit on the affidavit. Law enforcement officials do expect many more charges to come.

At this time, the man is solely facing child pornography charges. However, police have reason to believe he may have also been making the pornography. The investigation is still underway.

Contact a Legal Professional for Help

Child porn crimes are viewed harshly. If you have it on your phone, showing it to someone will likely lead to an investigation, criminal charges, prison time, and more.

This is a crucial time to contact an experienced attorney. You need a solid defense from a Florida child pornography lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit. Schedule a consultation with our office by filling out the online form or calling (352) 505-1799.

Source:

wpbf.com/article/florida-broken-phone-leads-to-arrest-of-accused-child-predator-in-fort-pierce/62912909