A 47-year-old Florida inmate, originally from Sarasota, admitted in a Tallahassee federal court this week that he used a prison-issued device to receive and circulate child pornography. Edward G. Winn, who was already serving time in the Florida Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and one count of receipt of child pornography, according to an announcement from John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Winn has been incarcerated since September 2015 following prior convictions for possessing similar illicit material. Investigators discovered that between May 6, 2024, and July 9, 2024, Winn utilized a tablet provided by the Madison Correctional Institution to access the internet.
During this window, he downloaded nearly 400 images, some depicting infants, and shared the files with other inmates.
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“My office will continue to aggressively prosecute the disgusting offenders who seek to sexually exploit kids online,” U.S. Attorney Heekin stated, noting that the sharing of such media effectively re-victimizes the children involved.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General. The prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to coordinate federal and local resources against online child exploitation.
Winn now faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for each count, along with a lifetime of supervision after his eventual release. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is handling the prosecution.
Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor has scheduled the sentencing hearing for June 1, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Tallahassee.
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