A search warrant was served Wednesday morning at a home in The Villages where child pornography was being uploaded.
The search warrant was executed at 7 a.m. at a home at 1171 Badger St. in the Village of Dunedin.
Detectives assigned to Child Exploitation Investigations and who are members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Federal Task Force received information that an individual residing at this address was uploading child pornography. The image uploaded appeared to be a child under the age of 10. After an extensive investigation, probable cause was developed to obtain the search warrant, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
At the conclusion of the search warrant, the suspect, 65-year-old Timothy Alan Burke, was placed under arrest for possession of child pornography.
During the execution of the search warrant, an on-site preview was conducted on the suspect’s computer. An additional image was subsequently located which depicted two children under the age of 10 engaged in sexual activity with each other. While examining the suspect’s computer, it was learned encryption software was present, which makes it difficult for law enforcement to access files that may contain additional child pornography. Several electronic devices were seized and will be going to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for forensic analysis.
More charges are expected, pending the results of FDLE’s forensic analysis of the electronic devices seized.
Burke was booked without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center.
If you have any information about this investigation, contact the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at (352) 793-2621. To remain anonymous, you can call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).