JACKSONVILLE, FLa. — The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Karl Davis Staton, 45, of Lawtey, on charges of possession of child sexual abuse material and unlawful use of a communication device.
Staton’s arrest comes after an investigation into several cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about the possession of child sexual abuse material, FDLE announced Tuesday.
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FDLE said its investigation, which began in September, identified Staton as the owner of an online storage account used for uploading the illegal files.
A search warrant executed on the account revealed video files depicting the sexual abuse of children, with some victims as young as six years old, the news release said.
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Staton was arrested by FDLE agents without incident at his place of employment on Monday, November 24, and was initially transported to the Duval County Jail before being extradited to the Bradford County Jail.
The case is being prosecuted by Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution in Jacksonville. FDLE’s initiative aims to locate and arrest criminals targeting children and sharing files depicting their sexual abuse.
The investigation remains active and additional charges may be forthcoming.
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