MARIANNA, Fla. (WMBB) — The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said they arrested a Marianna man after they found more than 30 files of child pornography on devices he owned.
Thomas B. Richards III, 30, was charged with 30 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device, all felony charges.
“The investigation began in March 2023 when FDLE received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an account user downloading images of child sexual abuse material,” FDLE officials wrote in a news release. “FDLE issued a search warrant to the service provider and conducted additional investigative work, identifying Richards as the account holder. “On May 25, FDLE agents executed a search warrant at Richards’ residence and seized multiple digital devices. Numerous files depicting the sexual abuse of children, including that of children younger than 5 years old.”
Investigators with the Marianna Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations assisted with executing the search warrant.
He is being held in the Jackson County jail on a $305,000 bond.
