OCALA, FL (352today.com) – A 43-year-old Ocala man was arrested last week on multiple charges related to child sexual abuse material.
Aaron Wernle, a registered sex offender, is facing 20 counts of Possession of Child Pornography and one count of Tampering with Evidence following an investigation by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
MCSO says that Detective Nicholas Sutliff began the investigation after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip linked a Microsoft account to uploads of child sexual abuse material traced to Wernle’s home on SW 88th Terrace.
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On March 26, MCSO says that deputies executed a search warrant at the residence. They say that Wernle refused to cooperate and attempted to discard a flash drive containing over 14,000 files of suspected child exploitation material, including content involving young children.
Wernle, previously convicted of child molestation in Missouri, was taken into custody and is being held at the Marion County Jail on a $105,000 bond.
Families with concerns about local safety can find resources and offender registry information through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
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