POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County deputies say tips from the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children led them to arrest five men for possession of child pornography.
After learning that the men were possibly transmitting and downloading illegal images, detectives say they executed search warrants at the men's houses and seized multiple digital devices for analysis.
Here's what the sheriff's office found.
Detectives say they found 330 images depicting children as young as six months old being sexually battered on the devices of Jerry Wilson, a 59-year-old from Mulberry.
One of Wilson's devices was actively downloading child pornography when the search warrant was served, according to the sheriff's office. He reportedly told detectives he had been viewing child pornography his entire life.
Wilson was booked into the Polk County Jail on July 1 on a $4.9 million bond. His criminal history includes charges for domestic violence battery, burglary and felony sex assault.
Detectives found 120 images and video depicting children as young as 12 months old being sexually battered on the devices of Christopher Montalvo, a 26-year-old from Lakeland, the sheriff's office says.
Montalvo reportedly told detectives he has been looking at child pornography since 2014 and has multiple social media accounts because he would need to create new accounts as the platforms banned him.
He was booked into the Polk County Jail on June 27 on a $1.2 million bond.
Detectives say electronic devices with 10 images and videos showing children as young as 6 years old being sexually battered were found in the home of Shane Dugan, a 21-year-old from Lakeland.
The sheriff's office says Dugan admitted that he had been downloading child pornography for the past several months and knew it was wrong.
He was booked into the Polk County Jail on June 24 and is being held with no bond.
Seven images depicting children as young as nine years old being sexually battered were found on the devices of Demian Veliz, a 55-year-old from Davenport, according to deputies.
Veliz reportedly admitted to using file-sharing software to download child pornography.
He was booked into the Polk County Jail on June 28 and was released after posting a $45,000 bond.
Detectives say they found one image of a child around three years old being sexually battered on the devices of Bryant Whatley, a 19-year-old from Lake Alfred. The sheriff's office says they also discovered evidence that Whatley had shared child pornography on Instagram.
He was booked into the Polk County Jail on June 29 and was released after paying a $15,000 bond.
“Through our partnership with NCMEC and concerned citizens who saw something and said something, we are able to take criminals who engage in the child pornography trade off the street. Those who buy, sell, trade, and download child sex abuse images support lead to further child abuse and create more child victims. Please, if you see something while you are online or on mobile apps, say something," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
Detectives said the child pornography images seized during this investigation do not appear to depict local Polk County children, but the investigation is ongoing to identify them.
Anyone who sees suspicious online activity is asked to report it to their local law enforcement agency or NCMEC’s CyberTipline.