BUNNELL, FL – On January 25, 2023, Peter Strickland pled guilty as charged to 26 felony counts and was sentenced to 25 years in Florida State Prison followed by 15 years of sex offender probation. He will also be designated a sex offender.
The charges from the three different cases Strickland was sentenced to prison for include one count of Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor, four counts of Lewd or Lascivious Battery Sex Act 12 YOA but less than 16 YOA, 16 counts of Possession or Promotion of Certain Images of Child Pornography and five counts of Sexual Activities Involving Animals.
“I’m thankful that our detectives and the State Attorney’s Office could bring this case to a close, especially during Human Trafficking Awareness Month,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “This pervert will spend the next 25 years in prison where he can’t prey on any more young children. We also hope that knowing the offender will spend 25 years in prison will help the victims recover from their trauma and the innocence he took away from them.”
Earlier updates and the original news release are posted below.
Date: September 23, 2022
Prepared by: Messod Bendayan, Public Affairs Office
Phone and Email: 386-586-4807; MBendayan@FlaglerSheriff.com
Release #: 2022-182
UPDATE #2: 21 More Charges Filed Against Child
Molester
BUNNELL, FL – The Cyber Crimes Unit (CCU) of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) has filed 21
more charges against a 32-year-old Palm Coast man who has been in lock-up for the past two months
for his role in a human trafficking case.
Peter James Strickland was served at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on Wednesday
(September 21, 2022) with a warrant charging him with 16 counts of possession of child pornography
and five counts of possession of sexual material involving animals.
Those charges are based on videos found by FCSO’s CCU detectives doing a forensic analysis of storage
devices seized from Strickland’s residence on Bassett Lane on July 28, 2022. Those videos depict
children between the ages of two and 15 involved in sex acts with adults as well as adults involved in
sex acts with animals.
Strickland is being held on an additional $105,000 bond based on the new charges.
Earlier updates and the original news release are posted below.
UPDATE #1: Child Molester Arrested In Human
Trafficking Investigation Arrested For Three additional
Charges
Date: August 2, 2022
Prepared by: Messod Bendayan, Public Affairs Office
Phone and Email: 386-586-4807; MBendayan@FlaglerSheriff.com
Release #: 2022-182
On August 2, 2022, Peter Strickland was additionally charged with three counts of Lewd or Lascivious
Battery (2nd degree felony) after he confessed during his interview with detectives. Strickland was
served with the new arrest warrant at the Flagler County Detention Facility where he was still in
custody. Strickland was subsequently issued an additional bond amount of $300,000.00 by the
Honorable Judge Totten for the three new charges. Strickland remains in custody at this time. The
investigation is on-going at this time.
Original news release below.
Date: July 29, 2022
Prepared by: Messod Bendayan, Public Affairs Office
Phone and Email: 386-586-4807; MBendayan@FlaglerSheriff.com
Release #: 2022-182
Child Molester Arrested In Human Trafficking
Investigation
On July 6, 2022, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) received a delayed sex offense complaint
involving multiple juveniles who reside at a group home in Palm Coast. During the initial investigation
evidence was uncovered indicating this case involved human trafficking. Major Case Master Detective
LaVerne and Detective First Class Butler were assigned the case and during the investigation it was
determined that Peter James Strickland, age 32, of Palm Coast was soliciting sex acts from juvenile
females who were possibly as young as 13 years old. Strickland would entice the victims by offering
them multiple items of value in exchange for the sexual activity and that he would also video record
the sexual encounters.
Peter James Strickland Booking Photo. Peter James Strickland at time of arrest.
Through investigative techniques, detectives were able to obtain enough evidence to obtain multiple
search warrants and an arrest warrant for Strickland. On July 28, 2022, Detectives LaVerne and Butler
conducted an interview with Peter at his place of employment, Palm Coast Utilities. During the
interview, Strickland admitted to having sexual relations with the victims about 15 times over the past
two years. The victim’s ages ranged from 13 to 17 years of age. Strickland admitted to providing the
victim’s with items of value in exchange for the sexual activity and confirmed he had video recorded
some of the sexual encounters.
Detectives served a search warrant at Strickland’s 30 Bassett Lane, Palm Coast residence to recover
additional evidence. With the assistance of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. team, FCSO
Major Case detectives, the FCSO Digital Forensics Unit and the Volusia Sheriff’s Office Electronics
Detection K-9 conducted an intensive search of Strickland’s residence where dozens of items were
located and seized for further analysis.
“This was great work by our Major Case Unit and our Digital Forensics Unit for finding the evidence
that got this pervert and human trafficker off the streets,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Anyone who takes
away a child’s innocence deserves to be behind bars forever. I hope this arrest will allow some closure
to the victims and they are able to get the help they need. And to anyone who thinks they’ll get away
with preying on our children, here’s the reminder that we will not stop until you’re arrested and unable
to hurt another child ever again! I would also like to thank Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, specifically
their electronics sniffing K-9 for helping us locate the evidence.”
“I am glad the Sheriff’s Office was able to stop him,” said Mayor David Alfin. “It is unfortunate that he
was a utility worker but to our knowledge he did not do any of this disgusting behavior while working. I
have faith in the Sheriff’s investigation and that the criminal justice system will hold him accountable.
Strickland was arrested for Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors (2nd degree felony) and is
being held under a $100,000 bond at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.
The investigation is on-going and additional charges are pending. If anyone knows of or believes they
were victimized by Strickland please call the FCSO at 386-313-4911.
