Florida law enforcement officials arrested a 56-year-old Okeechobee man this week following a digital investigation into the sharing of illegal content involving minors. William Leroy Johnson Jr. now faces 15 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material after a coordinated effort between local and state agencies.
The investigation into Johnson began on Jan. 20 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) sent a cybertip to authorities. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the tip flagged a “visual search” involving images of child sexual abuse. This specific type of search allows a user to upload an image to find similar files online.
While the case was first sent to the Okeechobee Police Department, it was moved to the FDLE and the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force once the IP address was traced back to a residence in Glades County. Investigators eventually linked that IP address to Johnson.
Earlier this month, agents executed a search warrant at Johnson’s home and took a computer for forensic testing. That analysis reportedly uncovered hundreds of files containing both child sexual abuse material and child erotica.
On Feb. 17, FDLE agents and deputies from the Glades County Sheriff’s Office took Johnson into custody on an FDLE warrant. He was booked into the Glades County Jail. The case is being handled by the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.
This arrest is part of a broader, ongoing initiative by the FDLE to track down and prosecute individuals sharing illegal material or targeting children across the state. Officials noted that the investigation into the matter is still active.
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