LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — An Altamonte Springs school resource officer who is facing child pornography charges made his first appearance in front of a Lake County judge on Saturday.
Steven Selph, 39, of Sorrento, was arrested by agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Lake County Sheriff’s Office on 10 counts of possession of sexual performance of a child.
Selph hired a private attorney, who was not present at Saturday’s first appearance.
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State prosecutors requested Selph receive no bond.
On Saturday, a Lake County judge found probable cause for Selph’s arrest and set his bond at $50,000 per charge.
The judge set conditions for Selph’s bond that included no contact for any persons under 18 years old and no internet access.
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Selph’s next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 10 at 8:30 a.m.
Selph, a school resource officer at Spring Lake Elementary School in Altamonte Springs, shared photos and videos of underage children while chatting on a popular messaging app, agents said.
Investigators said between May and September 2022, Selph sent several texts where he talked about wanting to have sex with children.
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According to an arrest affidavit, Selph sent several texts while he was on duty at the school and even sent several photos of himself while in uniform.
In a statement announcing Selph’s arrest and subsequent firing, Altamonte Springs police said the department was cooperating fully in the investigation.
“We will continue cooperating with all of our law enforcement partners to pursue aggressively anyone, no matter what position they hold, who is responsible for this type of behavior,” the statement said.
It goes on to express the shocking nature of the charges.
“That anyone could view images of this kind shocks the conscience and is abhorrent to all of us, particularly from a person placed in a position of trust,” the statement read.
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On Friday afternoon, the Seminole County School District issued a statement to parents about the arrest:
Good afternoon, Spring Lake families.
Today we were notified by Altamonte Springs Police Department that our Spring Lake Elementary School Resource Officer (SRO) is under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for possible allegations of child pornography. The officer has been relieved of his duty, and our school is currently being supported by a newly assigned Altamonte Springs Police Department SRO. At this time, it is not believed that any of our Spring Lake Elementary students are involved in this matter.
We will continue to work with law enforcement to ensure the safety and security of our students, staff, and school community. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, we will provide updates as authorized by FDLE. Thank you for your shared commitment to the safety and education of our students at Spring Lake Elementary.
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