LAKE MARY, Fla. — A Seminole County man is behind bars after investigators say they uncovered a massive collection of child pornography during an online undercover operation.
Taylor Staats, 42, was arrested Thursday at his home in a Heathrow area community in Lake Mary.
Investigators say an undercover operation by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Unit led them to the residence.
Staats appeared before a judge on Friday, where he was formally charged with possession of child pornography and tampering with evidence.
The investigation began in September using specialized investigative software. Detectives say they traced downloads of multiple illegal files to a single IP address, which they later linked to Staats.
Investigators obtained a search warrant, and during the search, they reported finding a laptop that had been “broken into multiple pieces,” with parts thrown in the trash and other parts, including the hard drive, found inside his daughter’s bedroom.
Digital forensic investigators determined the laptop had been connected to the home’s network just minutes before deputies arrived. Investigators believe the device was destroyed in an attempt to hide evidence.
Despite the damage, deputies say they were still able to recover more than 52,000 image and video files. Investigators said all the files were “child exploitative in nature.”
Authorities reported reviewing hundreds of the files and said at least 50 of those were determined to contain child sexual abuse material.
Court records also note that in 2024, Staats was sentenced to 18 months in prison after federal prosecutors said Staats played a key role in a darknet fraud conspiracy.
He pleaded guilty after being accused of verifying and organizing stolen payment card data before it was sold.
Staats has been given a $250,000 bond in his Seminole County case. His court-ordered restrictions include no Internet access, no contact with anyone under the age of 18, and he must wear a GPS monitor.
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