WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Police in Winter Haven have arrested a man and charged him with 300 counts of Possession of Child Pornography.
On February 1, 2023, 31-year-old Nikolas Andrew Young of Winter Haven was taken into custody after a two-month investigation revealed hundreds of still images and videos depicting children appearing as young as four years old involved in sexual conduct with adults and/or other children.
The investigation started after a Civil Dispute/Eviction was served on Young by his former roommate in December 2022.
In the news: Pentagon Tracking Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Over ‘Sensitive’ American Sites
While the officer was on the scene of the dispute, the roommate alerted the officer to the child pornography on Young’s computer. The roommate stated that Young showed the roommate the images that depicted children between the ages of 12 and 14 engaged in sexual intercourse with apparent adult males and females.
A follow-up was conducted by a Winter Haven Detective, and the roommate told the detective he has known Young for three years, and they had shared the residence for the past 15 months.
The roommate told the detective about a “secured” folder that was located on the Apple Laptop.
According to investigators, Young told the roommate, “Don’t tell anyone, I have a secured file that could put me in jail for the remainder of my life because I do watch child porn.”
The roommate described the computer to the detective and the folder on the desktop of the computer.
On January 20, 2023, a Winter Haven Police Officer and Detective responded to the Poinciana residence to interview Young.
In the news: Pasco Deputies Searching For Missing Teen Avery Wilsey, Last Seen In Zephyrhills
Throughout the interview, Young stated that in the past, he did watch pornography, but he erased all of the files because he wanted to “clean myself up.”
After continued questioning, Young told the detective that there was child pornography previously on the computer, but he had erased it “years ago.” The detective asked Young if he still had the computer, and he ultimately retrieved the computer allowing the detective to take it.
A search warrant was obtained on January 25, 2023, to have a forensic download of the full computer. On February 1, 2023, the download was conducted where hundreds of images and videos depicting child abuse, and child pornography, along with images of erotica involving children, both boys and girls, were located.
On February 1, 2023, Young was taken into custody and charged with 300 Counts of Enhance, Possession, Control, and View Depicting Child Pornography (F.S.S. 827.071). He is currently in the Polk County Jail with no bond.
In the news: Two Florida Doctors Convicted In Scheme To Defraud Medicare Out Of $31 Million
“We are thankful for that roommate who spoke up to report this heinous crime that was occurring,” said Police Chief David Brannan. “These children had their innocence taken away for deviants like Young, and they will never get that back. He is where he needs to be and should be staying there for a long time.”
Police say that the content did not involve Young or any known children from Winter Haven or Polk County.
Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook Here Or Twitter Here.