Second child pornography arrest in two days

A 31-year-old St Johns County man was arrested on ten-counts of possession of child pornography this morning following service of a search warrant at his home where detectives located pornographic images on his computer.

The suspect, identified as William Thomas Leonard Jr., who lives at 5310 CR-208, in St Johns County, was booked into the County Jail where he remains without bond; pending a first appearance hearing Wednesday morning.

On yesterday, Sean R. Eckstein, a 43-year-old St Johns County man, was arrested on five counts of possession of child pornography. Eckstein remains in custody in lieu of a $25,000 bond.

Over the past two and a half years, the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes
Section have arrested over 50 individuals on child exploitation charges ranging from possession of child pornography to traveling to St Johns County in the belief that they were meeting a minor for sex including three special operations.

In November 2010, six individuals were identified and arrested in Operation “Reveal” for possessing child pornography. In May of 2011, 17 individuals were arrested over a five day period during Operation “Sheepdog” where the suspects traveled to a home in St Johns County to solicit a minor for sex. The third operation was this past March where 15 individuals traveled to another St Johns County home during Operation “No Soliciting”.

St Johns County Sheriff David Shoar said today that our message is the same as it was two and a half years ago, “if you have anything to do with child exploitation or child pornography, either viewing, producing, or transmitting, sooner or later we will arrest you.”
He added, “We will continue to pursue those individuals who victimize our children and grandchildren.”