News and Investigations

Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Computer Crimes Unit (CCU) charged five suspects for possession of child pornography after receiving tips from the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children (NCMEC) that the suspects were possibly transmitting or downloading the harmful images and videos. Detectives served search warrants at the five suspects' houses and seized multiple digital devices for further analysis. Each suspect faces additional charges if more illegal content is found.

“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. Contact your local law enforcement agency or go to NCMEC’s CyberTipline at https://report.cybertip.org/ to report suspicious online activity.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

59-year-old Jerry Wilson of Mulberry was arrested and charged with 330 counts enhanced* possession of child pornography (F2) after detectives served a search warrant at his home following up on a NCMEC tip. One of Wilson’s electronic devices was actively downloading child pornography at the time the search warrant was served. During a preview of his electronic devices, detectives found 330 images depicting children as young as 6-months-old being sexually battered. 

Wilson admitted to having child pornography on his two cell phones and a tablet. He also told detectives he had been viewing child pornography his entire life.
He was booked into the Polk County Jail on July 1, 2022, and is being held on $4.9 million bond ($15,000 per charge). His previous criminal history includes 7 felonies and 12 misdemeanors for sex assault, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, burglary, aggravated assault, battery, domestic violence battery, and DUI. Wilson has been incarcerated in prison twice; once for violation of probation (burglary and lewd and lascivious conviction) and then again for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.

26-year-old Christopher Montalvo of Lakeland was arrested and charged with 120 counts enhanced* possession of child pornography (F2) and one count promoting a sexual performance by a child (F2) after detectives served a search warrant at his home following up on a NCMEC tip. During a preview of his electronic devices, detectives found 120 images and videos depicting children as young as 12-months-old being sexually battered. 

Montalvo told detectives he has been looking at child pornography since 2014, and he 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, 2022, and is being held on $1.2 million bond ($10,000 per charge). 

21-year-old Shane Dugan of Lakeland was arrested and charged with 10 counts possession of child pornography (F3) after detectives served a search warrant at his home following up on a NCMEC tip. During a preview of his electronic devices, detectives found 8 images and videos depicting children as young as 6-years-old being sexually battered. 

Dugan admitted to detectives that he had been downloading child pornography for the past several months and that he knew it was wrong. 

Further forensics of Dugan’s devices were completed and two additional files depicting children being sexually battered were located.

He was booked into the Polk County Jail on June 24, 2022, and is being held with no bond. 

55-year-old Demian Veliz of Davenport was arrested and charged with 7 counts possession of child pornography (F3) and one count promoting a sexual performance by a child (F2) after detectives served a search warrant at his home during an investigation. During a preview of his electronic devices, detectives found 7 images depicting children as young as 9-years-old being sexually battered. 

Veliz admitted to detectives he had been using file sharing software to download child pornography.  

He was booked into the Polk County Jail on June 28, 2022, and was released after paying a $45,000 bond. 

19-year-old Bryant Whatley of Lake Alfred was arrested and charged with one count possession of child pornography (F2) and one count promoting a sexual performance by a child (F3) after detectives served a search warrant at his home following up on a NCMEC tip. During a preview of his electronic devices, detectives found one image depicting a child around 3-years-old being sexually battered. Detectives also discovered evidence that Whatley had shared child pornography on Instagram.

Whatley admitted to detectives he had child pornography on his cell phone.  
He was booked into the Polk County Jail on June 29, 2022, and was released after paying a $15,000 bond. 

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.

*The felony child porn charges are upgraded (enhanced) if the suspect possesses 10 or more images of child pornography and at least one image contains any of the following criteria:
• Image depicts a child younger than the age of 5
• Image depicts sadomasochistic abuse of a child
• Image depicts sexual battery of a child
• Image depicts sexual bestiality involving a child
• Any movie involving a child