Sheriff will pursue people that victimize children

In an emotion charged appearance before Historic City News and other reporters, Sheriff David B. Shoar announced the arrests of five out of six St. Johns County men wanted for child pornography law violations — and he vowed, “We will not stop”.

The men were arrested during a warrant sweep by detectives with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims’ Unit as part of “Operation: Reveal”.

Today’s arrests culminate an extensive investigation by SVU detectives into child pornography by individuals in St. Johns County. By utilizing undercover Internet investigative techniques, detectives were able to identify and receive child pornographic images from suspects that were later confirmed residing in St. Johns County.

The information learned was sufficient to obtain search warrants for the computers of the named individuals. Over the past couple of months, those search warrants were served, the computers were seized and forensically examined.

Those arrested were identified as:
Michael James Young, 25, 8485 Palmo Fish Camp Rd.;
Zachary Anthony Chiodo, 19, 241 Seamist Ct, Ponte Vedra Beach;
Jon Raymond London, 38, 223 Yarbrough Rd.;
James Darrin Pleasant, 30, 2 Moultrie Creek Cr.;
John Alan Hoyt, 20, 1130 Tedder La.

Detectives are seeking the whereabouts of the sixth individual; identified as Mark Robert Biller, 24, no known address.

SVU detectives identified and interviewed the six suspects for their involvement in the downloading or distribution of child pornographic images. All six admitted to some involvement in downloading the child pornography.

There is no known connection between the individual suspects.

In all cases, detectives’ recovered images or video of children who were clearly under the age of 13, with some of the images or video of actual sexual abuse to children.

SVU detectives had received specialized training in computer investigations from the North Florida ICAC Task Force and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

St. Johns County Sheriff, David Shoar said today this is only the beginning of arresting individuals involved in “this disgusting child porn business,” in St. Johns County. He added, “Our message today is if you have anything to do with child pornography, either viewing, producing, or transmitting, sooner or later we will arrest you.”

Sheriff Shoar concluded, “No victims are as vulnerable as our children and grandchildren and your
Sheriff’s Office will pursue people that victimize our children — vigorously.”