News and Investigations

On March 7, 2019, PCSO detectives served a search warrant at 610 Peninsular Drive in Lakeland after receiving tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that child pornography files were associated with an IP address at that address. 

Arrested today is 61-year-old Dr. Brian Birky, of Lakeland, on 9 counts of possession child pornography (F-3). Birky is the Executive Director for Public and Environmental Health Research at the Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute in Bartow. 

The child pornography was determined to have been on a computer or electronic storage device at Birky’s residence between November 14, 2018 and January 1, 2019. The images portray nude pre-pubescent children between the ages of 2 and 11 years old in sexually lewd poses, engaged in sexual poses with each other, and engaged in a sex act. 

A forensic investigation/examination are ongoing on several electronic devices, storage devices, and storage media collected from the residence. Additional charges may be made as a result of the investigation.

"We appreciate the tips we receive regarding the distribution of child pornography—this allows our detectives to investigate those who trade, collect and distribute child porn. Those who download, view, and collect these terrible pictures and videos help create a market for these kinds of exploitative images that are dependent upon the continued sexual abuse of children. I appreciate the hard work our detectives do to locate and charge those in Polk County who download child pornographic images.” – Sheriff Grady Judd

Birky has been booked into the Polk County Jail—he is being held on no bond until first appearance.