BUNNELL, FL – During a hearing Monday, February 5, Carlos Rivera-Hernandez was sentenced to 15 years in prison, after he pled guilty to 20 counts of Possession of Child Pornography and one count of Failure to Report Internet Identifiers.
His sentence will be followed by 15 years of Sex Offender Probation, and he will be registered as a Sexual Predator.
“This serial pervert will not see the outside of a jail cell for more than a decade,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I commend our Cyber Crimes Unit and detectives for working tirelessly to build a strong case that helped lock him up so he can’t prey on children again. We won’t tolerate crimes like this in Flagler County, and if you’re exploiting children, we are coming for you next.”
Sex Offender Arrested Again for Possession of Child Pornography
Suspect Previously Convicted of Sexual Battery of a Minor (12–15-Year-Old Victim)
BUNNELL, FL – On April 3, 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cyber-tip about a male who had uploaded 41 files of suspected Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) to an online website.
On November 17, 2022, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) executed a search warrant at a business in Bunnell in reference to the Possession of Child Pornography investigation resulting from the NCMEC tip.
The FCSO Cyber Crimes Unit (CCU), Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), SWAT, and Major Case Units (MCU) searched Hernandez’s place of employment and seized several items that are capable of storing or transmitting CSAM. After conducting a forensic autopsy of the seized items along with using additional investigative techniques, Detective Held was able to locate numerous social media applications and CSAM on the devices that were seized.
Carlos Hernandez was arrested on January 10, 2023, and transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. He was arrested for 20 counts of Possession of Child Pornography and one count of Failure to Report Internet Identifiers. Hernandez is currently being held on a $515,000 bond at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.
“Hopefully, this pervert will spend more time locked up for his crimes,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “We do not tolerate crimes against children in Flagler County. These cases take time to investigate but our Cyber Crimes Unit and detectives will come after you if you are exploiting children and build a strong case to put you away for a long time.”
