FDLE Blows Up Computer Equipment From Child Porn Cases

April 4, 2018

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force joined together with the Regional Domestic Security Task Force Bomb Squad to explode computer equipment today that was used to view illicit images of children.

“Today’s event shows the dedication local, state and federal agencies have when it comes to protecting innocent children from predators,” said FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Jack Massey.  “If your child has an online presence, parents need to be extremely cautious and engaged to keep their children safe.”

“In today’s social media environment material can be viewed over and over again.  It never seems to disappear,” said Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chip Simmons. “It is good to know that this particular equipment and material will never again be used to view child pornography.”

The hard drives, computers and other items were exploded at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office firing range near Cantonment.

For more photos, click here. Video is at the bottom of the page.

All pieces of evidence destroyed during “Operation Final Disposition” are from cases that have been prosecuted and are not subject to appeal.  After a case is finished, evidence destruction is completed in a law-enforcement environment without any fanfare.  But as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month, FDLE and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office opted for public destruction in the hope of bringing attention to child abuse and how we can all work together to prevent it.

Evidence that was able to be wiped clean is being donated to the Gulf Coast Kid’s House.  Gulf Coast Kid’s House is a child advocacy center serving victims of child abuse.  Gulf Coast Kid’s House provides a place where child protective services, law enforcement, prosecution, medical and mental health professionals’ work together under one roof to provide comprehensive services to abuse victims.

Pictured top and inset: A bomb squad exploded computer equipment once used to view child porn Tuesday at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office firing range near Cantonment. Pictured below: The remains of a computer. Pictured bottom: The remains of a computer keyboard in a tree. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.


Comments

20 Responses to “FDLE Blows Up Computer Equipment From Child Porn Cases”

  1. jerry on April 6th, 2018 4:03 am

    could have erased and donated them to someone else , schools, etc. Looks like an excuse to damage property and destroy the enviornment

  2. David Huie Green on April 5th, 2018 8:22 pm

    (And it doesn’t really mean there was less insanity way, way, way back. They used to put the insane in insane assylums. That’s where they put Great-Uncle Will Green and Uncle Dick Chavous. Nowadays they let us run around Scot-free unless they decide the insane are a danger to others or themselves. They err on the side of freedom for the nuts. Don’t even take away their — our? — voting rights.

    One common cause of insanity back then was untreated syphilis. No comment. Nowadays they treat it. Still enough craziness to go around.)

  3. David Huie Green on April 5th, 2018 7:42 pm

    REGARDING:
    “David Huie Green You must be younger than I”

    Well, I AM just a child, but no, you old geezers didn’t really have lead in your lead pencils. You can find it plenty of places, but my buddy, Wiki, is easy. Check the HISTORY section.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencil

    “Chemistry was in its infancy and the substance was thought to be a form of lead. Consequently, it was called plumbago (Latin for “lead ore”). Because the pencil core is still referred to as “lead”, or a “lead”, many people have the misconception that the graphite in the pencil is lead, and the black core of pencils is still referred to as lead, even though it never contained the element lead.”

    David for unleaded lead

  4. EMD on April 5th, 2018 4:27 pm

    David Huie Green

    You must be younger than I. Now there is graphite in pencils. In my youth they contained lead. So did paint.. Babies chewed on cribs and toys containing lead paint.

  5. Stephen on April 5th, 2018 11:32 am

    Why didn’t Hillary think of this?

  6. David Huie Green on April 5th, 2018 8:52 am

    REGARDING:
    “NO Computer Hard Drive can be wiped completely clean.other than being destroyed like these were.”

    Sure it can. Every bit of memory can be overwritten multiple times, leaving none of the original. Further, “hard drives, computers and other items” certainly seems like there were non-memory items included.

    This equipment may have been way out of date by this time, so nobody would want it, but that’s another question.

    David for big booms

  7. GMP on April 5th, 2018 3:48 am

    Mythbusters would have been proud! When in doubt use C-4!

  8. Luis Santos on April 4th, 2018 11:15 pm

    This is one of the most inane things I’ve read, replace the hard drive and sell the used computers, lot of parts can be salvaged and recycled,

  9. Mike Honcho on April 4th, 2018 11:00 pm

    Did anybody think this may have been a training exercises and the hardware was just a plus.

  10. Mark on April 4th, 2018 6:49 pm

    Boys and their toys. Wouldn’t it make a whole lot more sense to either wipe it and use it again or just run it through a shredder? This is another waste of taxpayer resources.

  11. Dennis on April 4th, 2018 4:05 pm

    NO Computer Hard Drive can be wiped completely clean.other than being destroyed like these were.

  12. c on April 4th, 2018 3:13 pm

    Sure they made their point, with everyone’s tax dollars. 9mm ammo is a lot cheaper than explosives and it’s easier on the environment. I suppose it would have given them the fun factor they were clearly after as well, This was orchestrated by some political types rather than actual computer professionals, I assure you.

    Everyone gets their panties in a wad when David Morgan blows money on a stupid billboard, and he was making a point too.

  13. David Huie Green on April 4th, 2018 12:35 pm

    REGARDING:
    “As far as lead pollution, kids in my day chewed on lead pencils”

    What is called “lead” in this case is really just graphite, not the metal lead. The name was a mistake. Pencils have never come with the element “lead” in them.

    David for non-toxic pencils

  14. David Huie Green on April 4th, 2018 12:26 pm

    That was silly. As Mike said, the equipment could have been wiped completely and reused.

    On the other hand, nothing beats a good explosion.

    David for fewer Grand Gestures
    with no real benefit

  15. EMD on April 4th, 2018 11:17 am

    GOOD GRIEF ! ! ! Always naysayers. I think they were making a point, and a needed one. ALL pornography needs to be dealt with like this was dealt with symbolically. It corrupts hearts and minds and RUINS FAMILIES forever. As far as lead pollution, kids in my day chewed on lead pencils, play with mercury and played around asbestos. We were also dusted with DDT. And, we did not have near as many crazies as there are running lose today.

  16. Joel Muncie on April 4th, 2018 10:17 am

    I applaud the intent of the FDLE and other law enforcement agencies, but I must point out that 1) these pieces of electronics contain lead and other toxic material that now have been vaporized and dispersed in an uncontrolled manner, 2) the plastics used in computers and other components are toxic when burned or exploded! Segregation the electronic boards and components from the plastic cases is much better, it just does not get the attention! Grinding the components that have storage capabilities is a much less toxic to the environment.

  17. Pat on April 4th, 2018 10:06 am

    Yet the feds ran the largest child sex ring website and only arrested 3 out of 250,000 users. Look it up I wish I was lying.

  18. EOD on April 4th, 2018 9:24 am

    Too many kick outs, who set this shot up?

  19. Bama on April 4th, 2018 8:30 am

    That’s about as dumb as it gets. Now you have to pay someone to clean the mess up

  20. Mike on April 4th, 2018 7:26 am

    Why organizing all this circus? They could have wiped the computer clean in much less time and expense both to the budget and environment. If they wanted to destroy the computer they could have fried the hard drive on a barbecue fire.
    This is like exploding the eyeglasses the perpetrator could be using to watch the porn or shooting a cannon at the chair he was sitting on.