Both men are now in the Polk County Jail.
Following an investigation, Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested
Robert Allan Stafford, 48, of 6223 Alabama Ave. in Lakeland. Stafford was charged with 60 counts of possession of obscene material which contains sexual conduct involving a child, or child pornography.
Each charge he faces is a second degree felony.
According to the arrest affidavit, the suspect, after being advised of his Miranda rights, told detectives that he “purposely downloads child pornography for the purpose of masturbating. After he receives sexual gratification, he deletes the child pornography.”
Detectives also noted in the arrest report that the youngest child in the videos Stafford owned was just two years old.
“He is only sorry because he got caught,” detectives wrote in the arrest report.
In numerous videos that Stafford owned, detectives says, the material contains images depicting a child engaged in sexual acts with adults and other children.
Also arrested was 23-year-old Bryan Christopher Shumate of 625 Alberta Ave., Auburndale, who got charged with four counts of possession of child pornography, with each charge being a third degree felony.
“He is addicted to child pornography,” detectives wrote in the arrest report. “He has been downloading child pornography since he was 14 years old. He masturbates while watching child pornography.”
Detectives also noted that Shumate had material depicting children as young as five years old, and that he told the sheriff’s office that he “prefers prepubescent boys,” the arrest affidavit states.
Likewise, Shumate had material showing a child engaged in sexual acts with adults and other children.
The Polk County Sheriff Office is asking anyone who may have been victimized by either Stafford or Shumate to come forward and report the abuse.
“We encourage them to please call the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200,” said Stephanie Mier, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.
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