A man has been arrested following a search warrant in Freeport that resulted in more than 50 felony charges related to child sexual abuse material.
Just before 7 a.m. this morning, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at a home off Shoreline Drive.
The warrant stemmed from an investigation launched in March after our agency received multiple tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating an internet user was downloading child sexual abuse material.
Troy Lee, 46, was identified as the individual associated with those tips. When deputies executed the warrant, Lee was not at the residence. He was later located at his place of employment and taken into custody.
During the search, investigators found multiple pairs of girls’ underwear in Lee’s possession. This information is being shared to encourage anyone who may have information about possible related criminal behavior to come forward. At this time, the Sheriff’s Office cannot rule out the possibility that Lee may have had contact with minor children.
Lee is facing 29 counts of transmission of child sexual abuse material, 29 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, and six counts of using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
He was transported to the Walton County Jail and is awaiting first appearance.
Our agency would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Homeland Security and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their assistance in the investigation and execution of the search warrant. Their partnership is invaluable to investigating internet crimes against children.
