CLEARWATER
MAN CHARGED WITH
MULTIPLE COUNTS OF POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
A 53-year-old Clearwater man was arrested at his downtown home
Wednesday morning and charged with multiple counts of Possession
of Child Pornography; the man was taken into custody just a day
after he was released from the Pinellas County Jail on charges
of felony possession of marijuana.
Clearwater Police Criminal
Investigations Division Crimes Against Children and Families Detective
Case Agent Michael Folk anticipates he will file more than 100
more Child Porn charges against WILBUR R. CLAIR (11-18-53), of
1210 Jeffords Street, in the coming days.
Clair, who told Investigators
he was once a police officer in a small Pinellas County municipality,
was picked up at his home this morning and charged with dozens
of counts of Child Pornography. Detective Folk seized two computers
and more than 100 CDs believed to contain images of child pornography
and exploitation. (A booking photo of Clair may be downloaded
at <http://www.pcsoweb.com/Inmate/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1232801>).
The investigation that
led to Clair's arrest began when Detective Folk - a member of
the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
- developed information about a subject who exhibited an inordinate
and disconcerting interest in children and sexual performance.
Detective Folk also
received a complaint from a resident of a mid-western state about
"inappropriate comments and observations" made by a
person ultimately identified as Clair during web-based "chat
room" discussions. Detective Folk was able to link the log-on
pseudonym used on the Internet to Clair.
On Monday (February
5), Detective Folk and other Investigators visited Clair at his
home; when he invited Detectives in, Clair admitted to storing
images of child pornography on his computer and gave Investigators
his permission to look at the device. As Detectives were examining
the computer, they saw - in plain view - marijuana and indoor
cultivation equipment, which led to the Monday charges and incarceration.
When a cursory examination of Clair's computer showed pictures
of children engaged in sex, Detective Folk petitioned a judge
for a search warrant.
Clair was jailed Monday
on the marijuana charges; Investigators executed the warrant,
examined the computer hard drives and CDs, and began filing the
appropriate charges today, after re-arresting Clair on the now-expanding
litany of Child Pornography charges.
This is the extent
of information available at this time. Additional details of this
case will be made public as circumstances warrant. Please direct
all inquiries to Public Information Officer Wayne Shelor at (727)-562-4333.
/s/
SID KLEIN
Chief of Police