Local

Federal Agents arrest Port Orange gunmaker on child porn charges

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Federal agents charged a renowned gunmaker from Volusia County with possession and distribution of child porn Tuesday.

Homeland Security investigators said they found hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on computers and hard drives belonging to 63-year-old Bruce Lee Jennings,

Special agents said Jennings sent videos through file sharing software to undercover investigators.

Jennings founded Bryco Arms. His company made guns that were known as Saturday night specials because they are low priced, easy to conceal and can still be found everywhere.

But Jennings filed for bankruptcy after a jury awarded $24 million to Brandon Maxfield, who was left a quadriplegic after a gun designed by Jennings accidentally discharged in the mid-90's and struck the then 7-year-old.

Over the weekend, agents served a warrant on Jennings' million-dollar Port Orange home in the Spruce Creek fly-in community.

According to the criminal complaint when investigators first showed up Jennings initially denied that he any intentional involvement in child porn through his computer.

The complaint said that he later admitted he transmitted child pornography.

Agents say Jennings even admitted he knew the children in the videos were "real children who had been sexually abused."

But, the report said, he still said he "did not feel guilty" about downloading and viewing child pornography.

Jennings is being held without bond because the courts have deemed him a flight risk and a danger to the community.