Two Walt Disney World employees and 14 others found in possession of child pornography are facing a combined 1,409 felony charges, authorities said.
In early 2020, Polk County Sheriff’s computer crimes detectives served numerous search warrants and made 16 arrests as a part of Operation Guardians of Innocence V, which focused on identifying those involved in the possession, promotion, and distribution of child porn, the sheriff’s office announced on Tuesday.
“These images are not just pictures of children without clothes. These videos and photographs are horrific images of children being forced to expose their genitalia and forced to perform sex acts – images of children being raped,” Sheriff Grady Judd said. “Those who upload and share child pornography are victimizing children over and over again. Those arrested in this operation create the demand that sustains a child pornographic exploitation distribution pipeline that traumatizes children across the world. Their behavior is disgusting.”
Roommates and Disney World workers Justin Hazan, 32, and Arlandres Sims, 36, were among those arrested.
Hazan, who operates the Millennium Falcon ride, and Sims, who runs food at the Animal Kingdom Resort, admitted to downloading and possessing child pornography, the sheriff’s office said. Following a review of their computer equipment, Hazan was charged with 15 counts of possession of child pornography and Sims was charged with 25 counts.
Additional arrests included:
- Nabor Molina, 45, who was allegedly found with child pornography with victims as young as 18 months and 3 years. He faces 125 counts of possession of child pornography. An ICE hold has been placed on Molina because the sheriff’s office says he is in the country illegally.
- Joshua Charles Johnson, 27, was allegedly found with pornography that depicted children as young as 2 years old. He faces 200 counts of possession of child pornography. Johnson was recently released from state prison for a robbery, the sheriff’s office said.
- Stephen Lilly, 61, initially claimed his internet and accounts had been hacked but later admitted to downloading and viewing child pornography for the past two years, according to the sheriff’s office. He faces 100 counts of possession of child pornography.
- Julian Strong, 28, allegedly downloaded and shared more than 1,200 images and videos of child pornography. He also faces 100 counts of possession of child pornography.
- Edgardo Acevado Cancel, who lives with his wife and children, was found in possession of pornography that depicted pre-pubescent aged children, the sheriff’s office said. The 38-year-old faces five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of promotion of child pornography. DCF has been contacted in relation to his children.
- Monty Cottengain, 64, allegedly traded images of child pornography on Facebook messenger for two to three years. He faces 20 counts of possession of child pornography.
- Landen Ulrich, 18, was found with hundreds of files depicting pornography with victims as young as six months old, the sheriff’s office said. He faces 200 counts of possession of child pornography.
- John Aziz, 35, faces 72 counts of possession of child pornography. The pharmacist was also found with numerous drugs without prescriptions, according to the sheriff’s office. Aziz has also been charged with 13 counts of possession of prescription drugs without a prescription, one count of keeping a residence for drug use, one count of possession of codeine, one count of possession of oxycodone and one count of possession of Alprazolam.
- Herberto Santiago, 59, was allegedly found with hundreds of files depicting child pornography with victims as young as 5 years old. He faces 15 counts of possession of child pornography.
- Scott Michael Bradley, 49, allegedly admitted to searching and viewing “questionable” things online. He faces 20 counts of possession of child pornography.
- Gary Bennett II, 27, faces 100 counts of possession of child pornography after allegedly being found with images depicting victims as young as 2 or 3 years old.
- Evan Sharpe, 29, admitted to posing as a 13-year-old online to chat with children, the sheriff’s office said. He faces 100 counts of possession of child pornography.
- Jonathon Richards, 27, faces 300 counts of possession of child pornography.
- Jose Vertoli Llanes, 21, faces four counts of possession of child pornography.
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