Adrian Garcia of Margate, Florida was arrested on January 17 for his alleged involvement in a child pornography investigation.
Garcia, 27, is charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of using a computer to entice a minor. He is being held on $44,000 and has yet to bond out of jail. The press did not name an attorney for him.
According to news sources, the investigation that resulted in Garcia’s arrest was led by the South Florida Internet Crimes Task Force. Garcia was arrested on the morning of January 17 at his home in Margate’s Coral Key community near Pinewalk Drive North. Police have not yet released details on the events that led to the arrest.
Another arrest involving child pornography was reported in Miami last week. James Abravaya of Hialeah, Florida was arrested on January 18 after police reportedly found child pornography on his computer.
Abravaya, 66, is charged with 46 counts of possession of sexual performance by a child. He is being held on $46,000. Records indicate that he has not yet bonded out of jail. News sources did not name an attorney for Abravaya.
Police reportedly executed a search warrant at Abravaya’s architectural business in Miami on January 18 and found 46 pictures of young girls between the ages of 2 and 10 engaged in various sex acts, including oral sex, bondage, bestiality, and intercourse with adult men.
Investigators issued the warrant after an anonymous source reported seeing child pornography on Abravaya’s cloud storage account. After Abravaya’s arrest, police found over 40,000 additional files on his Dropbox account, the report said.
Sexual performance is defined under Florida state law as any play, video, photography, or any other visual medium exhibited before an audience that includes sexual conduct by a child younger than 18 years of age.
Pornography charges can quickly multiply as each image, video, or file may result in additional counts and increase the penalties of a conviction. Child pornography convictions in Florida have harsh consequences, and the charges can be pursued at a federal level.
Federal penalties for sex crimes are especially severe and may include a prison sentence of between 5 to 50 years depending on the nature of the specific offense. In addition to a prison sentence, a conviction includes registration in the national sex offender registry, branding the offender for life as a sexual predator.
Florida courts have a zero tolerance for sex crimes involving children, and police and federal agents are required to make sure anyone suspected or charged with a sex crime is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Many internet users have unwittingly downloaded something without realizing what it was. Whether or not you are guilty, the charges alone can ruin you and your family’s life and make future background checks a nightmare. Contact an experienced sex crimes defense attorney immediately for a consultation.
Source: 1.18.18 BSO arrest Margate man in child porn investigation.pdf