A Florida youth pastor has been charged with accessing child porn on his church's Wi-Fi. Florida resident Edward Wilds III was detained following a roughly 12-month investigation that was started by an online tip.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office charged Wilds with possessing child pornography and using a two-way communication device to aid in a crime.
Pastor Arrested for Child Pornography and Been Fired from Teaching Job
According to News Week, on May 22, 2022, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office got a cyber-tip from a social networking site, sparking the inquiry. Following a Wednesday night worship at the Palatka Baptist Temple last spring, Wilds reportedly downloaded explicit child-sex material there. Authorities discovered 54,000 photos in total on devices and accounts associated with Wilds during the inquiry.
Most of the photographs were sexual, and it was discovered that Wilds transmitted 42 pornographic images of youngsters between the ages of 14 and 16 to another user who requested them over chat exchanges.
According to Miami Herald, Edward Wilds III was dismissed as a teacher at Middleton-Burney Elementary School and placed on administrative leave after the Putnam County School District learned of his arrest.
In March, the authorities contacted Wilds about the claims, and his computer devices were later subpoenaed. He acknowledged that because of his behavior, he had previously been repeatedly banned from a social media platform. When asked about the case, Sheriff H.D. DeLoach said, "This is a clearcut case of child sexual exploitation and I'm deeply troubled by the commission of such heinous crime in our hometown."
He emphasized that the exploitation and abuse of children are disgusting acts that have no place in society. Wilds's acts, according to Sheriff DeLoach, were "disgusting, vile, and repugnant," and he vowed that such conduct would not be permitted in their county. The arrest serves as a reminder that everyone must safeguard children from all types of abuse.
Victims are Unheard of, and Authorities are Enraged
People identifying as Edward Wilds' victims or acquainted with one of his victims have begun posting their accounts on Facebook. According to Church Leaders, one person claimed that despite years of complaints to the police, they had never been treated seriously. This person claimed that while they felt vindicated by Wilds' arrest, it was unsatisfying and that they wanted to be the sole victim. After their encounter, they made the decision to homeschool their kids in Putnam County to keep them safe.
Another person asked for prayers for a family member who was allegedly wronged by Wilds and claimed that Wilds was shielded by his "reputation" as the youth pastor. The victim was threatened with "going to hell" if they notified anyone they had been sexually molested.
Rick Surrency, the Putnam County School District superintendent, expressed his shock at the circumstance. News 4 Jax reported that despite no proof to support the claims, Surrency said Wilds would continue to be on administrative leave until the school board was given the go-ahead to terminate him.
The primary pastor of the church and father of Edward Wilds III declined to comment on his son's detention. According to deputies, Wilds brought himself in on Friday morning and was released on bond the following afternoon with restrictions against internet use and child contact. Wilds is accused of using his cellphone to commit a crime involving minors on top of the other allegations.
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