May 8, 2009
Media Contact: Jenn Meale
Phone: (850) 245-0150
CyberCrime Unit, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Announce First Results from Joint Operation
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today joined the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in announcing the arrests of four Tampa area men on charges of possession of child pornography. The investigation, which is ongoing, is a joint operation by Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee’s detectives and the Attorney General’s CyberCrime Tampa Task Force.
The investigation began in April 2009. To date, seven search warrants have been executed. The images seized depicted children from ages 1 to 12 in various stages of sexual exploitation by adults and others. Some images were videos depicting children in bondage and engaged in bestiality. CyberCrime investigators determined the images were also being distributed. The following men were arrested: Clifton Mothershed DOB 8/27/68 614 N. Gomez Avenue, Tampa Arrested 5/7/09 Charges: 100 counts of possessing child pornography Randall Baxley DOB 9/9/68 3315 King Charles Circle, Valrico Arrested 5/7/09 Charges: 53 counts of possessing child pornography Mark Lawton DOB 7/15/56 7407 Celeste Lane, Palm River Arrested 5/6/09 Charges: 42 counts of possessing child pornography Adam Dinofsky DOB 4/30/65 Valrico Arrested 5/5/09 Charges: 5 counts of possessing child pornography
More arrests are expected from the ongoing investigation.