A DeSoto County man is facing 63 felony charges after a months-long investigation into child sexual abuse material. Eugene Sampson was arrested Oct. 27 after the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office executed a warrant at his home, following up on a June tip from another law enforcement agency and leads from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The charges include 61 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, a first-degree felony, and two counts of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
The case began in June, when the outside agency contacted DeSoto detectives about a child pornography investigation involving Sampson. Detectives with the Criminal Investigative Division confirmed he was living in the county and took over the case. Tips from the national center pointed to graphic images of minors, which investigators linked to an account belonging to Sampson.
Sheriff Potter said he will not put up with individuals like this in the community. For Suncoast families, this story is also a reminder that online safety resources are available through local law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. What questions do you have about keeping kids safe online? Drop them in the comments and we’ll follow up on air.
