LUTZ, Fla. (WFTS) — Charles Price, 61, of Lutz faces more than 1,000 charges after the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office found more than 1,000 child sexual abuse material files on an electronic device. The victims were between the ages of 5 and 12.
The investigation began in July when the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received a cyber tip. That tip led detectives to Price, where they found the files and evidence that Price was transmitting and trading them.
Early Monday morning, residents in the Lutz neighborhood were woken up to the sounds of police activity. A SWAT team responded to the home, breaking out doors and windows to arrest Price.
Neighbor Alan Oppegard said his wife witnessed the arrest unfold.
"They had a bunch of police cars. My wife said there was like 30 police cars. It looked crazy."
Oppegard said he was disgusted to learn about the reason for the arrest. He said he did not know Price personally, but noticed something was off.
"It was pretty shocking. We didn't know that guy, but it, it seemed weird. Yeah, I don't think he ever came out. It was like he never put garbage cans out. That's a weird thing."
Billy Lane, a former detective and computer forensics examiner, said technology plays a key role in flagging child sexual abuse material and alerting investigators.
"I would say a majority of Google and those types of entities measures every image that's transported over the Internet to prevent CSAM from being transported. Once this is identified, it sends off a red flag to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children."
Lane said there is no typical profile of someone who commits these crimes.
"There is no really preconceived vision of what a predator looks like. It could be your uncle, it can be your brother, it can be your husband, it can be your father. There's a lot of people out there. It could be the teacher."
Lane said social anxiety and awkwardness can play a role in why some people commit these crimes.
"They seem to capitalize on children because it's a controlled scenario where they don't believe the children is going to reject them."
Now, Price is facing thousands of charges.
"It's just terrible, you know, I feel like we're safer than him getting behind bars," Oppegard said.
Share Your Story with Annette
If you live in Wesley Chapel or the surrounding area, Annette Gutierrez is here for you. She’s focused on finding solutions and getting results for our neighbors, so send Annette tips on how she can help.
.
Saudi flight from Tampa, secret FBI probe reveal possible Saudi support network for 9/11 hijackers
Twenty years after the Sept. 11 attacks, more than 80,000 records compiled by the Tampa FBI Field Office remain classified. Newly declassified documents are pointing to a possible secret Saudi support network for the hijackers. Soon after the attacks, the FBI uncovered that 15 of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia.
