Summer Camp Counselor Accused of using Bitcoin to Buy Child Porn
Camp counselors are supposed to be responsible people. They are supposed to be role models to the youth who attend these camps. Unfortunately, some people in these positions take their love of children a little too far.
A North Florida summer youth camp counselor has been arrested for attempting to pay for child sexual abuse material. According to the Attorney General, the 31-year-old man used Bitcoin to pay for these images.
The man, from Bell, is facing 15 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, as well as one count of transmission of child sexual abuse material by electronic device and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
In March, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). That was when they found out about the man’s illegal activities.
According to the tip, the man was attempting to send payments through Cash App to a Bitcoin wallet associated with child pornography trafficking. The FDLE obtained subpoenas for the man’s cell phone records. This revealed two more NCMEC cyber tips showing that the man had uploaded and shared child porn images from his Instagram account.
The man is currently being held at the Gilchrist County Jail on a $1.7 million bond. If convicted, he faces up to 85 years in prison at the Florida Department of Corrections.
Why Do People Buy Child Porn?
Adult pornography is available all over the internet for free, so why do people spend so much money on child porn? It can be difficult to understand why people would be attracted to children having sex, but there are a couple main reasons:
- Sexual gratification. Some people have difficulty forming intimate relationships with adults for some reason. Perhaps there is a degree of anxiety and awkwardness involved, but for some people, children feel less intimidating to them, so they are attracted to child porn.
- Emotional escape. Those who consume child porn often feel sexual frustration or various degrees of loneliness in their lives. By viewing child porn, they can escape their reality.
- Some child porn users have experienced child abuse in their past, so viewing pornographic images of children may make them feel in control in a way.
Contact a Legal Professional for Help
Many people are attracted to child porn, but it is especially shocking when someone who works with children, like a summer camp employee, is arrested and charged with these crimes.
If you are in legal trouble due to sex crimes involving children, seek help right away from a Florida child pornography lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit. You could face state and federal charges, so there is a lot at stake. We will advise you of your legal options and do our best to defend you. To schedule a consultation with our office, fill out the online form or call (352) 505-1799.
Source:
cbsnews.com/miami/news/florida-summer-camp-counselor-child-porn-bitcoin/
