Investigation led by Crimes Against Children Unit results in arrest after detectives trace online activity.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – In a major case of online crime, detectives from the St. Petersburg Police Department’s Crimes Against Children Unit (CAC) have arrested a man on multiple felony charges, including the possession and transmission of child pornography.
The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Elias David Elias, was taken into custody on August 29, 2025, after a thorough investigation that began with a tip about illegal content being shared online. According to police reports, investigators used a variety of techniques to trace the illegal activity back to Elias.
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Detectives confirmed that the images of child pornography involved minors ranging from 2 to 14 years old. In a disturbing detail, police also discovered that Elias was viewing videos depicting sexual activity with animals.
Following his arrest, Elias was booked into the Pinellas County Jail and faces a total of 22 felony counts: 10 counts of Possession of Child Pornography, 10 counts of Transmission of Child Pornography, and 2 counts of Sexual Activity Involving Animals.
His booking photo was not yet available.
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