Man Arrested for Child Porn After Discussing Sexual Abuse on App

An adoptive father from Florida was arrested after he was caught talking about sexually abusing his 7-year-old son on a messaging app.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department recently announced the arrest of a 51-year-old man from Seminole. He is facing multiple child porn charges, including 20 counts of child porn possession as well as five counts of sexual activity with animals.

The sheriff’s office began investigating after receiving information about the man on May 12. They received a cyber tip that the man was having conversations on Kik, a messaging app. He sent messages admitting that he was sexually abusing his 7-year-old son. The statements were allegedly very explicit and graphic.

Deputies executed a search warrant for the man’s phone at the beginning of June. That was when he admitted to being involved in the conversations. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department found videos of the man engaging in sexual activity with animals and the man told them that he is “into some really weird stuff.”

Investigators discovered that the man was accessing sites to view and download images of child porn and sexual activity with animals. Dozens of images were found during the search, with some of the victims as young as 2 months old.

What makes this case even more shocking is the fact that the man and his husband have fostered 23 young boys between 2017 and 2023. They adopted five children between 2015 and 2023, all between 4 and 12 years old. Authorities have spoken to most of the foster and adoptive children. Many are now young men who have described “concerning behavior that is still under investigation.”

The boys detailed how they were punished by their adoptive father to take their clothes off and stand in front of a window facing the street. The man also watched them while they bathed.

The man and his husband were both licensed by the state as foster parents. They have been involved since 2017 and are considered to be very active in the foster care community. In fact, the couple authored a book described as an adoption journal that helps parents document milestones of building their families.

The sheriff’s office calls this a difficult case, given that it involves the betrayal of trust that the Child Welfare System puts into people. These children have already been abused and neglected by their biological parents, so it is devastating when adoptive parents continue the cycle.

The Department of Children and Families is also conducting an investigation. They will determine what happens to the four children still living in the home.

The man’s husband has not been arrested. The investigation remains ongoing.

Contact a Legal Professional for Help

Human trafficking is a serious crime. The laws are strict and the punishment can be very harsh.

Contact a Florida child pornography lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit right away to ensure a strong defense and help ensure a fair trial and good outcome. Schedule a consultation today by calling (352) 505-1799 or filling out the online form.

Source:

fox13news.com/news/seminole-adoptive-father-arrested-child-porn-charges-after-multiple-messages-about-sexually-abusing-son