SPRING HILL, Fla. – A Spring Hill man, Caleb Elijah Sumner, has been sentenced to three years in the Florida Department of Corrections, followed by five years of sex offender probation, after accepting a plea deal on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
The sentencing relates to his September 17, 2024, arrest for charges including Possession of Child Pornography, Sexual Performance by a Child, and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device.
The investigation into Sumner began on June 16, 2024, when the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) received information alleging he was possessing and distributing child pornography. Probable cause was established, leading to a search warrant for Sumner’s residence on Crossline Drive in Spring Hill.
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Detectives from the HCSO Special Victims Unit (SVU) executed the search warrant on September 17, 2024. Sumner was present at the residence and, after being read his Miranda rights, confirmed ownership of two email addresses linked to social media accounts found to contain child pornography. He admitted to owning one of the social media accounts in question before requesting legal representation, at which point the interview concluded.
Sumner was initially arrested on charges of Possession of Child Pornography, Sexual Performance by a Child, and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device. He was transported to the Hernando County Detention Center and held on a $20,000 bond.
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Further digital forensic analysis of a cell phone belonging to Sumner, retrieved as a result of a search warrant executed on June 16, 2024, uncovered an additional 13 files containing child pornography. This discovery led to an arrest warrant for Sumner on November 18, 2024. He was subsequently taken into custody by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and held on a no-bond status.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information on this case to contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or by using **TIPS from a cell phone.
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