Polk County man accused of taking pictures of minor in Target admits to collecting child porn: Deputies

POINCIANA, Fla. - Investigators say they found 100 images and videos of child porn at a Polk County man's home after he was arrested for taking pictures of young girls at Target.

According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, on May 10 a 12-year-old girl's mother told law enforcement that her child was tying her shoelace in a Kissimmee Target when she saw a flash behind her. Officials say when the girl turned around, she saw an unknown man behind her quickly moving away.

When investigators viewed the security camera footage from the store located at 3200 Rolling Oaks Blvd, they say a man later identified as 27-year-old Daniel Mora squatted down and brought the phone close to the victim before quickly walking away.

Officials say they made contact with Mora when he returned to the store on May 16.

Deputies say Mora waived his right to remain silent and when asked if he knew why officials were there he responded by saying "yes because he was sick and took pictures of girls."

READ: Bay Area men among those arrested during Orlando police investigation into suspected child predators: OPD

Mora admitted to taking a picture of the 12-year-old girl’s legs, according to the sheriff's office.

According to authorities, he told deputies that he took those pictures for his pleasure and said he was embarrassed to talk about it. When asked if he still had the pictures, investigators say he said he didn’t remember because he keeps some and deletes others.

Mora gave law enforcement the passcode to his iPhone and his consent to look through it, according to officials. Deputies say they saw various videos of Mora secretly recording young females in stores.

According to investigators, Mora said he only remembered taking pictures at that store.

<div>Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office</div>
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office

Mora was arrested for video voyeurism, older than 24, the victim younger than 16 and taken to the Osceola County Jail.

Detectives say when asked if he had ever come across child pornography images, Mora responded, "Someone sent me some and they automatically went on to my device."

He told officials that those images would "probably" still be on his device.

Officials say Mora told them that he met someone online via the Telegram app and received a link. Investigators say that a person Mora believed to be a woman introduced him to porn that was "popular" a couple of months ago.

READ: Undercover detective poses as teen, man caught trying to pay child for sex: St. Pete Police

Detectives say when questioned about what porn was introduced to him, he stated, "Well you know... children, stuff that isn't okay".

Mora also told law enforcement that he tried to go back and view the child porn that was on his phone "as little as possible."

Officials also discovered that he uploaded or shared one file of child pornography on Snapchat that showed a completely nude girl that was about 3-5 years old with an adult woman.

According to authorities, Mora stated that because he was abused as a child, his "hormones kick at weird moments."

For two years, Mora said he went back and forth watching child porn and recently "relapsed" and viewed it again, according to the sheriff's office.

He told officials that he had a blue flash drive that contained child porn in his bedroom. After searching his home in Poinciana on Friday, detectives found several electronic storage devices.

Authorities say they found a selfie of Mora, pictures of his social security card along with 100 images and videos containing child sexual abuse material on the blue flash drive. Deputies say they also found a childlike sex doll in Mora’s bedroom.

Investigators say Mora said the youngest age he believed to have viewed in the child porn videos were of "smooth skin" children, "about 12 years of age".

Deputies say Mora was charged with one hundred counts of enhanced possession of child pornography and one count of possession of obscene material (child-like sex doll).

SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter