JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man who previously worked at a special needs youth center was arrested on child pornography and animal abuse charges, and Action News Jax is now learning more details.
William Eames, 28, faces 10 charges of possession of 10-plus photographs of sexual performance by a child, and one felony charge of sexual activity involving animals.
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“Possession of more than ten images of child pornography is a third-degree felony, which is punishable up to five years in state prison per instance,” Jacksonville criminal attorney Chris Carson explained to Action News Jax Monday. “So if there are ten of those, potential exposure could be up to 50 years [in jail].”
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrest report, Eames was caught after a tip from Google officials was submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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Carson said internet service providers helping to catch sexual predators have become increasingly common, as inaction can often expose them to legal problems.
“As a means to absolve themselves of liability, the ISPs are actually tasked with ensuring that whenever something comes to their attention, they actually do flag it and then send it over to the appropriate enforcement powers,” Carson said. “It’s something that we see not in every case, but in many cases.”
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The JSO report said Eames was arrested where he worked, Hope Haven. It’s a nonprofit on Jacksonville’s southside that provides services to special needs youth.
Carson said that could play a role in how harsh a judge could decide to sentence in this case, if Eames is convicted of the crimes.
“My experience is that normally, that will serve as a significant aggravating factor should the case end up, say, in front of a judge for sentencing or something along those lines,” Carson said. “That’s almost always something that a prosecutor would bring to a judge’s attention.
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Hope Haven also provided a statement to Action News Jax following Eames’ arrest. You can find the full statement below:
“We generally refrain from commenting on individual employment matters. However, due to the nature of the charges in question, we believe it is important to be transparent and demonstrate our commitment to safety and integrity.
“All Hope Haven employees are required to successfully complete a Level II background screening prior to hire. Mr. Eames was cleared through that process when he was hired on October 7, 2024. His work was conducted under the direct supervision of licensed staff and within a controlled, professional environment that includes video surveillance throughout our entire campus. Our organization also participates in the state’s continuous monitoring system, which ensures we are notified promptly of any status changes that would affect employment eligibility.
“On the afternoon of Wednesday, ... (June 25), officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrived on our campus and asked to speak with Mr. Eames. They requested to meet him in the parking lot where they proceeded to place him under arrest. We were not provided advance notice, informed of the nature of the charges, or engaged in the process.
“Following this event, we immediately placed Mr. Eames on administrative leave. The next morning, June (26), we received an automated alert from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s background screening system notifying us that Mr. Eames was no longer eligible for employment. We immediately terminated his employment and filed a formal report with the Department of Children and Families (DCF), as required by our licensure.
“We have no information the charges are in any way connected to Mr. Eames’ work or activities at Hope Haven, nor have we been contacted by law enforcement since his arrest. This is an understandably upsetting situation, made more difficult by the fact that we, like others, must await the outcome of the legal process. Should law enforcement engage us in this matter, we will cooperate fully.”
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