CITRUS COUNTY, FL. – On Tuesday, 52-year-old Jeffrey Scott Brake was arrested in Lake County in reference to a Citrus County warrant for 13 counts of Possessing Child Pornography.
Earlier this year, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) investigated information received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning child pornography.
Detective Tiffany Barry with CCSO’s High Tech Crimes Unit (HTCU) traced the transmission of images to a Citrus Springs residence owned and occupied by Brake.
A search warrant was executed at Brake’s residence in August of this year and, although Brake told detectives he had viewed child pornography, no images or videos were immediately located.
However, Brake was arrested for trafficking in a controlled substance as a result of the search and held at the Citrus County Detention Facility, where he was later released on bond.
Brake had been a community soccer coach and teacher prior to his arrest.
Following the initial search of the residence, Detective Barry continued her intensive investigation and located multiple images of child pornography in electronic storage devices belonging to Brake.
On Monday, an arrest warrant was issued for Brake, who was living outside of Citrus County at the time.
“The exploitation of children, especially in the form of child pornography, are among the most monstrous crimes we encounter. This particular case is more disturbing by the fact that Brake was a teacher and children’s soccer coach, both roles of trust that our youth would seek guidance and support from,” said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “I commend Detective Barry for her diligence and perseverance in this important investigation to protect our youth and seek justice in these horrific cases.”
Today, Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies made contact with Brake and placed him under arrest. Per the bond schedule, he is being held with a $195,000 bond at the Lake County Jail.
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