Judge Kathryn Speicher Archives - The Space Coast Rocket

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Palm Coast man found to have been downloading child sexual abuse material. Detectives made the arrest during the execution of a search warrant following a monthlong joint investigation by the FCSO Cyber Crimes/Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and the Northeast Florida Inter-Agency Child Exploitation and Persons Trafficking Task Force.In March, the FCSO Cyber Crimes/ICAC Unit was contacted by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office after SJSO detectives intercepted a bit torrent download consisting of 96 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. The suspect attempting to download the files was believed to be in Flagler County. Through investigative means, FCSO Cyber Crimes detectives determined the files were being downloaded to a computer from a residence on Forest Hill Drive in Palm Coast.On April 16, the Cyber Crimes/ICAC Unit, Digital Forensics Unit, and SWAT team served a search warrant at the residence, with assistance from members of the NEFL INTERCEPT Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. During the search warrant, detectives interviewed the suspect, identified as Scott Beverst, 64, of Palm Coast, while the Digital Forensics Unit conducted a search of the residence. During the search, the Digital Forensic Unit’s electronic storage detection dog, K-9 Birdie, located multiple electronic devices containing suspected child sexual abuse material. Detectives seized the devices for forensic analysis.While speaking with detectives, Beverst admitted that he had been viewing child sexual abuse material since 2001 and preferred 11-to-14-year-old girls. Beverst also agreed to show detectives child sexual abuse material on his laptop.Following the search and interview, detectives arrested Beverst for 10 counts of possession of child pornography. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held on a $250,000 bond.“The amount of child sexual abuse material this guy had and the things he was watching young girls do are sickening,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Perverts watching these disgusting things and thinking they can get away with it should know we will catch them. We work with our partner law enforcement agencies, Operation Light Shine and the INTERCEPT Task Force, and others to protect our children and put perverts like this in jail.”The investigation is ongoing. Additional charges may be added, pending forensic analysis by the Digital Forensics Unit. ... See MoreSee Less

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