5 years later, accused pedophile extradited to Polk County from Australia

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — After 5½ years, an Australian man accused of preying on Polk County children from the other side of the world was extradited back to Florida on Friday.

Authorities flew to Australia to pick up Christopher Lobban. He remains in the Polk County Jail.

According to deputies, Lobban taught his lover and former Polk County detention Deputy Robin Pagoria how to abuse two teenagers in 2011.

Investigators believe that Lobban instructed Pagoria to abuse children between the ages of 10 and 18. They said he did it from behind a computer, thousands of miles away, in his million-dollar western Australian home.

Deputies arrested Pagoria after the victims' school counselor told them about the abuse.

"We will go to the ends of the earth to protect our children," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Judd said the extradition process to bring the accused pedophile was exhausting and lengthy.

Investigators said the pair met on a website called spankfinder.com, and abused two young girls.

"He directed that these children be stripped nude, handcuffed and tied and bent over a whipping bench, and then beaten, and that's exactly what happened," Judd said.

Pagoria has since confessed. While Lobban remained in Australia, Pagoria took a plea deal of 20 years in prison in exchange for her testimony against him.

Lobban fought extradition and hired three lawyers to defend him, Channel 9 learned.

Since the matter involves the State Department and U.S. marshals, Judd said the feds took care of Lobban’s pricey travel bill to Central Florida.

If convicted, Lobban could be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison.

Cox Media Group