Ex-Jacksonville Deputy Cuffed in Child Porn Sting

Michael Eugene Williams, a 59-year-old former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer, has been arrested and charged with publishing a notice seeking child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Federal prosecutors unsealed the criminal complaint this week, exposing a sordid digital trail linking Williams to the exploitation of a 3-year-old girl.

The investigation began when authorities received intelligence that Williams was uploading illegal material to Google Drive. On July 7, 2016, a search warrant was executed at his Jacksonville residence. Agents seized a cellphone and tablet tied directly to Williams. Forensic analysis revealed a chilling exchange: Williams had been texting a woman in Texas who was producing and sending graphic images of her 3-year-old daughter — in return for cash wired via Western Union.

Investigators from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office traced the Texas woman, leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) teams in Jacksonville and Dallas to coordinate with the Cleburne Police Department. They executed a warrant at her home. During questioning, she admitted to sending sexually explicit photos of her child to Williams for money. She also confirmed recent contact through a private messaging app.

Back in Florida, a federal search warrant led to the seizure of another cellphone belonging to Williams. A preliminary forensic review turned up additional child pornography sent by the woman — along with explicit messages detailing the sexual acts Williams wished to perform with the toddler. The digital evidence paints a pattern of predatory behavior spanning months.

Williams is now in federal custody, awaiting a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Monte C. Richardson on Friday, October 28, 2016, at 2:30 p.m. If convicted on all counts, he faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years and up to 60 years in federal prison. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.

This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. Led by U.S. Attorneys and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the program unites federal, state, and local agencies to hunt down predators and rescue victims. A criminal complaint is not a conviction — Williams is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.