- April 23, 2024
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The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit began investigating a CyberTip from Internet Crimes Against Children on Dec. 31, 2019. A lengthy investigation led to a search warrant being executed on April 7, 2020, at 25 Cold Spring Court in Palm Coast by FCSO’s Cyber Crimes Detective Dennis Lashbrook, FCSO crime scene investigators, members from Volusia County Sheriff’s Office , and the North Florida ICAC Task Force.
Several electronic devices were seized during the search, and a forensic analysis of the devices was conducted. The results of the analysis found numerous images and videos of child pornography.
On April 30, an arrest warrant was signed for 46-year-old Mario Arnez Arter for 30 counts of Possession of Images of the Sexual Performance by a Child.
Due to the amount of images recovered as well as the types of behaviors exhibited in those images, the charge was reclassified from a third degree felony to a second degree felony under Florida State Statute 775.0847.
“Our proactive Cybercrimes Unit did a great job and exactly why we started the unit just a few months ago,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Throughout this sick and disturbing investigation, Detective Lashbrook built a strong case against this pervert. Anyone else engaged in this type of disgusting behavior in our community should stop immediately or you might just be the next one on our radar. We will not tolerate crimes against children in Flagler County. Thank you to VCSO and the North Florida ICAC Task Force for their assistance with this case.”
Arter was located on Saturday, May 9, by the Florida Highway Patrol in Jacksonville and taken into custody. He was booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility where he is being held on a $100,000 bond.
In 2018 under the direction of Sheriff Rick Staly, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office began participating with the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The ICAC Task Force consists of state and local law enforcement who are dedicated to developing effective responses to the online enticement of children by sexual predators, child exploitation, and child obscenity and pornography cases.
In late 2019, Sheriff Staly implemented a full-time Cybercrimes/ICAC Unit.
