TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – A local church deacon has been convicted of producing child pornography in a Florida church, according to the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Jonathan High, 30, of Steinhatchee, Florida, has been convicted of two counts of use of a child to produce child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, following a one-day bench trial.
In August 2021, law enforcement officers received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a user of a cloud storage account uploaded files constituting child pornography. An investigation revealed the account belonged to High.
Law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for High’s cell phones and desktop computer, and after an examination of their contents, confirmed that High was in possession of multiple child pornography images and videos that depicted prepubescent boys engaged in sex acts or exposing their genitals in a lascivious manner.
Further investigation revealed that some of these images and videos were produced by High personally; High produced separate video recordings of two young boys using the bathroom in a Perry, Florida church where High served as a deacon.
High’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 9, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Allen Winsor. High faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison and a combined maximum of 70 years in prison for all three counts.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida credits a joint investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force with bringing High to justice. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and Kaitlin Weiss prosecuted the case.
This disturbing case highlights the importance of vigilant law enforcement and the need for continued efforts to protect our children from predators. As this investigation demonstrates, the consequences for those who commit such heinous crimes are severe and well-deserved.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Related Federal Cases
- Joshua Black, Production and Transportation of Child Pornography, Florida 2023 · Arkansas
- Jonathan William Lauman, Child Pornography Possession, FL 2023 · Florida
- Richard Daniel Lord, Receiving Child Pornography, Florida 2023 · Texas
- Matthew Allen Hayes, Child Pornography Advertising, Florida 2024 · Arkansas
- Jerry Hall, Child Pornography Production, Florida 2016 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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