POLK COUNTY, Fla. — "Anytime you deal with folks dealing in child porn — it's frightening," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Thursday.
Judd says five men who have a "hitch in their giddy-up" are facing charges related to possessing child pornography. Four of those men were arrested for their "disturbing" crimes; the fifth man, who is currently overseas, is still wanted by detectives.
The sheriff's office's computer crimes unit worked with the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children (NCMEC) to find these men and arrested them, Judd said. His agency is working to find and arrest more people who deal with child pornography.
"I don't believe you can get someone who deals in child pornography in the county jail and subsequently in prison quick enough," Judd said.
Juan Valdez, 18, of Haines City was arrested and charged with one count of transmission of child pornography and 200 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography. Judd said he 17-years-old when he was arrested. The sheriff's office confirmed with 10 Tampa Bay his 18th birthday was yesterday. While Valdez is currently held in a juvenile assessment center, Judd says they are working to have him charged as an adult and transported to jail.
Judd said Valdez told detectives he has been looking at child pornography since he was 13-years-old.
Kevin Hariston, 29, of Lakeland was arrested with one county promoting a sexual performance by a child and 10 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography. Detectives say they found images and videos of children as young as 2-years-old. Detectives say he told them he had been "actively" searching for child pornography for several years online. He is being held on a $55,000 bond.
Felipe Ortiz, 19, of Bartow was arrested and charged with six counts of possession of child pornography. Detectives say they found images of children as young as 10-years-old being "sexually battered." He is being held on a $60,000 bond.
Deamontavese Sanders, 21, of Lakeland was arrested and charged with one count of promoting a sexual performance by a child and two counts of possession of child pornography. Detectives say they found images and videos of children as young as 7-years-old on his devices. Detectives say Sanders told them he used Discord and Kik to share child pornography. He was released after paying a $10,000 bond.
Jianchai Chen, 39, of Winter Haven, is charged with one count of transmission of child pornography and 132 images and videos of children as young as 5-years-old being "sexually battered." The sheriff's office says Chen is currently in China "where he lives part-time with his wife and children."
"These folks were looking at images of children being sexually abused or in sexually provocative states as young as in diapers," Judd said. "Did you hear what I just said? Children being sexually abused are as young as being in diapers."
You can watch the full news conference here: