GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – On Aug. 14, a Gainesville Police arrested a man for allegedly possessing and distributing child pornography and exploitation material.
Earlier this year, Gainesville police received an online tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alleging a local user of the messaging app Kik was distributing Child Sexual Assault Material (CSAM) through the app’s platform.
Further investigation by a Gainesville Police Department (GPD) detective identified Tyler McCann-Carter, 24, as a suspect.
On Feb. 3, 2023, the GPD Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Division and GPD SWAT served a search warrant at McCann-Carter’s residence, 4421 NW 36 Terrace. McCann-Carter’s electronic devices were seized as evidence.
In an interview during the investigation, McCann-Carter reportedly admitted to sending CSAM of pre-pubescent children to other Kik users. GPD says McCann-Carter claimed he was doing this because he was “trying to bait somebody out” and wanted to report offenders to Kik. He also reportedly claimed he was not attracted to children and would delete the videos he sent to other users.
Through forensic analysis, GPD reportedly found CSAM images on McCann-Carter’s electronic devices. On Aug. 14, he was arrested and charged with eight counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of distribution of child exploitation material.
GPD is warning parents about the potential risks of social networking and messaging apps. Children are being solicited and exploited through apps including Kik, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and Tagged. These apps are also used to share CSAM images and videos. Police ask parents to be vigilant and aware about what online platforms their children might access.
Resources for parents are available at the NCMEC website.