Man Busted for Sending Child Porn to Tampa Anchor

Police have arrested a man that they said was using Twitter accounts to tag a Tampa-area news anchor’s Twitter with child porn images.

The Anchor blocked and reported the first account name, “Mecca,” but deputies say the suspect then used other fictitious accounts to continue sending and tagging images of child porn. Later in June, the suspect sent multiple graphic images of child porn to the victim using the account name “Tatiana,” investigators say.

Deputies say the suspect used four Twitter handles:

@Mecca15675165
@Tatiana81529156
@Cindy85156879
@Micah43833128

Subpoenas submitted by investigators for the IP address for each account led them to an address in Gibsonton, Florida. 

Polk County detectives then made contact with the FBI. On June 18, the two agencies executed a search warrant at the home of 20-year-old Marchaun Browning of Gibsonton.

Detectives say they found a total of 163 child porn images on Browning’s electronic devices.

Investigators then worked with Twitter to execute a search warrant on Browning’s Twitter accounts. Nine child porn images were found related to the “Cindy” account, 15 child porn images were found related to the “Mecca” account, one child porn image was found related to the “Micah” account and 10 child porn images were found related to the “Tatiana” account.

Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Browning, charging the suspect with three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Browning was taken into custody on Friday but has since bonded out of jail.  

The Anchor was not named. 

H/T WFLA

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