Polk County Mom and Dad Arrested for Child Porn

A Lake Wales mother and father were arrested on child porn charges on Wednesday, along with possession of meth charges, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they began investigating the couple when they received a tip that the 29-year-old man had sent a child porn video of an 8-year-old boy having sex with an adult woman through Facebook Messenger to his 30-year-old wife last December.

Detectives conducted a search warrant on the couple’s Lake Wales home and said they found 40 child porn images on Katie’s cell phone depicting kids in age ranging from 2 to 12 years old. A child porn image was also found on the husband’s cell phone, according to the arrest report.

During the search, detectives said they found baggies containing methamphetamine residue and the couple admitted to smoking the drug.

According to an arrest affidavit, the woman told deputies that she and her husband have seen child porn while watching adult porn but did not intentionally seek it out.

Deputies said the man admitted that he sent the child porn video to his wife and stated that he was stupid. According to the report, the man said he received that video from an unknown KIK (social media app) user and was shocked when he watched it.

The woman has four children under the age of 8. The man is the father of two of those kids.

Deputies said they don’t believe those children were victimized and the Florida Department of Children and Families took them into their custody.

On Thursday, the couple appeared before a judge who gave the woman a $200,000 bond and the man a $21,000 bond. The couple told the judge that neither of them have jobs.

If you have been unfairly accused of a child pornography-related crime, it is important to understand that these are very serious charges. It is vital to know your legal options for defense against child porn charges.

Keep in mind that viewing pornography on the Internet or elsewhere is not a crime when it displays consenting adults. However, if the pornography depicts minors, then it is highly illegal to view this material.

Being arrested for possessing child pornography is terrifying. Our Florida Child Porn Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can review your case and immediately begin mounting the strongest possible defense on your behalf. There are defenses to these crimes, and we can make sure your rights are protected. Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.