Former Polk County official slapped with 2,896 additional child porn charges
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A former Lake Alfred City Commissioner charged with child pornography possession in April now faces nearly 3,200 counts.
Charles Lake, 90, resigned last week after a Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigation revealed he allegedly had 300 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse on his phone.
PCSO announced Wednesday that further investigation found “2,896 video and image files depicting pornographic sexual abuse images of children, between the ages of six months to twelve years old, and engaged in graphic sexual conduct with adults, children, and animals” on electronics seized from his home. Detectives described his system for categorizing and concealing the files as “compartmentalized.”
The more recent charges brought against Lake increased the total to 3,196 felony counts.
The sheriff’s office is seeking additional information from the public.
“Charles Lake is a public official with a dark, twisted involvement with the exploitative child pornography trade. In the past, he has done photography for the city and local schools, and has assisted people with their computers,” Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
The sheriff’s office asked anyone who is “aware of or witnessed any inappropriate interactions, images, or involvement associated with Charles Lake” to contact detectives at (863) 298-6200.
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