Winter Haven, Fla. (970 WFLA)- The Polk County Sheriffs Office has wrapped up a month long investigation that focused on identifying and arresting those involved in possession, promotion, and distribution of child pornography.
Throughout the month of May, Polk County Sheriff's Computer Crimes Detectives served search warrants and made 11 arrests during "Operation Guardians of Innocence II" .
Those arrested include:
48-year-old Edward Zaborowski III of Davenport. Detectives talked with Zaborowski, who admitted that the computer equipment was his. He told detectives he is a bartender in Orlando, and a parent helper and driver for his son's Boy Scout Troop. He's charged with:·
64 counts possession of child pornography ·
1 count promotion of sexual performance by a child.
64-year-old Richard Cousins of Lakeland. During an initial preview of his computer equipment, detectives located files depicting child pornography with victims as young as 8 to 10 years old. Cousins told detectives he is married. Cousins is charged with:
143 counts possession of child pornography
3 counts promotion of sexual performance by a child.
COUSINS CRIMINAL HISTORY: Cousins is a registered sex offender. He was arrested in 1992 in Maine for sexual assault on two male victims under 13 years of age, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison for each victim (4 years total); his sentence was reduced to one year in prison, and 4 years' probation.
51-year-old Bruce Nopper of Auburndale. Detectives talked with Nopper, who admitted that he is addicted to viewing child pornography. His girlfriend told detectives she previously found disturbing images on his computer, and destroyed the hard drive with bleach and a sledgehammer. He's charged with:
12 counts possession of child pornography
1 count promotion of sexual performance by a child.
30-year-old Rickie Vargas-Garcia of Davenport. Detectives say Vargas-Garcia, admitted that he trades and views child pornography, and solicits female juveniles online to send him nude photos and videos of themselves. He told detectives he's a Lego builder for Merlin Entertainment. He's charged with:
10 counts possession of child pornography.
VARGAS-GARCIA CRIMINAL HISTORY: Vargas-Garcia was arrested in 2008 in Virginia for DUI.
84-year-old Don Carrier of Davenport. Detectives say Carrier, admitted that he has been viewing child pornography for several years - he waits for his wife to leave the house and then watches it. During an initial preview of the equipment, detectives located files depicting child pornography with victims as young as 3 years old. He's charged with:·
200 counts possession of child pornography
53-year-old Roger Catey of Davenport. Detectives talked with Catey, who admitted that that he has been viewing child pornography for approximately one year. During an initial preview of the equipment, detectives located files depicting child pornography with victims as young as 3 years old. He told detectives he is employed at Walt Disney World as a project manager in the costumes department. He's charged with:·24 counts possession of child pornography.
2 counts promotion of sexual performance by a child.
35-year-old Mathew Sentz of Lakeland. Detectives say Sentz, admitted that he has been viewing child pornography for approximately one year. During an initial preview of the equipment, detectives located files depicting child pornography with victims as young as 2 to 4 years old. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with:
100 counts possession of child pornography - SENTZ CRIMINAL HISTORY: Sentz is a registered sex offender. He was arrested in Illinois 2000 for possession of child pornography when he was 17 years old, and he was sentenced to & spent 3 years in prison, 30 months' worth of probation and 200 hours of public service. He was arrested by Lakeland P.D. in 2009 for failure to register as a sex offender.
24-year-old Jarrod Whiting of Lakeland. Detectives say Whiting, admitted that he has been viewing child pornography for "a while." He admitted to viewing images depicting children as young as infants. During an initial preview of the equipment, detectives located files depicting child pornography with victims as young as 4 years old. He's charged with:
14 counts possession of child pornography.
20-year-old Alejandro Baltazar II of Mulberry. Baltazar, told detectives he's been viewing child pornography for the past two years. He told detectives he's a Hillsborough Community College student. He's charged with:
55 counts possession of child pornography.
69-year-old Donald Marich of Lake Alfred. Detectives talked with Marich, who denied downloading child pornography. During an initial preview of the equipment, detectives located files depicting child pornography. He told detectives he is a retired schoolteacher from Maricopa County, Arizona, and that he lives alone but is a Disney annual pass holder and frequently attends the theme park alone. He's charged with:
16 counts possession of child pornography ·
3 counts promotion of child pornography.
A 16-year-old boy who the sheriff's office is not identifying from Kissimmee. Detectives talked with his parents, and then went to Haines City High School to talk to him. He admitted to viewing images depicting children as young as infants. During an initial preview of his cell phone, detectives located files depicting child pornography with victims as young as 12-24 months old. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with: 12 counts possession of child pornography.
"As you know, this is just the beginning - once we serve search warrants and seize the devices that these suspects are using to download and distribute pornography, we will do a complete forensic analysis, and in all likelihood we will be adding on more charges related to the felony possession and distribution of images and videos of children being sexually battered. Most of the images we saw during this investigation depicted children being sexually battered, that we have seen before - which means we haven't yet identified any local child victims, but as always, that is also a part of our investigation." -Grady Judd, Sheriff
Photo Credit: Polk County Sheriff's Office