Former Jacksonville police officer arrested for seeking, receiving child pornography

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was arrested for publishing a notice seeking child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

The Department of Justice announced Monday the arrest of Michael Williams, 59. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations supervised the case.

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JSO executed a search warrant July 7 at Williams’ home after reports that he was uploading child pornography for sharing to Google Drive.

Prosecutors said Williams had been communicating by text message with a Texas woman who had a 3-year-old daughter. The woman would produce pornographic images of her daughter and send them to Williams in exchange for money, officials said.

The woman was identified by JSO; agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Jacksonville and Dallas coordinated with Texas authorities to obtain a search warrant for the woman’s residence.

The woman admitted to authorities during an interview to sending sexually explicit images of her daughter to Williams in exchange for money. She also told officials that she had recent contact with Williams using a messaging app.

Williams could face 20 to 60 years in federal prison.

Williams worked as an office for JSO for about 16 years. He resigned from the department for personal reasons.

Cox Media Group