SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) — A 37-year-old man has been arrested on 100 counts relating to child sexual abuse material, according to law enforcement.
On March 17, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced Blake Edward McKinniss was arrested of 53 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, 46 counts of AI-generated child pornography, and one count of possession of a childlike sex doll.
The investigation into McKinniss began on Jan. 27 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received 70 cyber tips related to the downloading, generating, storing, viewing, and uploading of images of child sexual abuse. The investigation connected McKinniss’ home address to the images and a search warrant was served there March 9, according to the FDLE.
Responding officers entered a “house of horrors,” according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, WPEC reports. While seizing multiple electronic devices belonging to McKinniss, authorities reportedly found girls’ underwear, toys, and a childlike sex doll.
McKinniss allegedly had multiple bedrooms in his house decorated for children, despite not having any children of his own, according to WFLA.
Uthmeier called AI-generated child sexual abuse content and childlike sex dolls a gateway for predators to later engage with real children, WPEC reports. He said, “It starts as a doll in a house decorated with toys and then they go online and start talking to little kids,” according to the outlet.
McKinniss is being held in jail on a $350,000 bond, per WPEC. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 1,026 years in prison. According to the FDLE, the investigation is active and more charges may be forthcoming based on forensic analysis of the evidence.
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