News and Investigations

Polk County Sheriff’s Office Computer Crimes detectives arrested Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) Captain Brian Steger (40-years-old) for 25 counts possession of child pornography - enhanced* (F2) and one count promotion of child pornography (F2), after a tip was received by PCSO detectives and they responded to Polk county Fire Station #26 in Lake Wales to investigate. Steger resigned his employment in lieu of termination. 

At around 9:00 p.m. on August 7, 2022 detectives arrived at the fire station where 40-year-old Brian Steger was currently on duty. Steger told detectives he had set up an internet account in his name at the fire station for his personal use. When detectives located Steger’s personal computer, it was actively downloading pornography files. During an on-scene preview of his electronic devices, detectives found 25 files of enhanced pornography, depicting children as young as five years old being sexually battered. All of his devices were seized and will be examined - if any additional files containing child pornography are found, he will be charged accordingly.    

"One of the most important kinds of investigations we do is identifying those who are distributing child pornography. Those who download, view, and exchange these terrible images and videos fuel the market for exploitative images that are dependent upon the continued and ongoing sexual abuse of children. I appreciate the hard work our detectives do to locate and charge those in Polk County who download child sex abuse images and videos. The fact that the person we arrested is a public servant is especially troubling—we will make sure he is held accountable for his actions.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

Steger is currently in the Polk County Jail and has no bond. He was hired by PCFR in 2003. Please direct any inquiries about his employment to Polk County Fire Rescue.

*enhanced child pornography meets one of the following criteria:
A child who is younger than 5 years old
Sadomasochistic abuse involving a child
Sexual battery of a child
Sexual bestiality involving a child
Any movie involving a child, regardless of length