A Gibsonton man sent child porn images to the work Twitter account of a Bay News 9 anchor, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
- Marchaun Browning, 20, indicted on federal charges
- Browning allegedly sent images via multiple Twitter accounts in June
- Browning faces similar charges in Virginia
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Marchaun Browning, 20, sent the images on one Twitter account beginning in June. The anchor who received the images then blocked Browning’s Twitter feed.
But Browning then changed Twitter accounts, according to detectives, as he was blocked each time.
“And he used another name and sent child porn,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
Judd went on to say someone representing the anchor contacted his agency, and the case was turned over the Internet Crimes Against Children task force and the FBI.
“Bay News 9 was quick to report it to law enforcement. That helped,” said Judd.
Investigators raided Browning's Gibsonton home and confiscated electronic devices, including a cell phone. Detectives said they found 163 child porn images.
Browning was then indicted on federal charges.
No one at Browning’s home wanted to comment. However, a neighbor who didn’t want to give her name was very upset by the news.
“Seeing as how one of my neighbors, which is my best friend in this neighborhood, has two young children sitting in the home not far from here. It’s very disturbing,” she said.
Judd said he hopes for the public’s help in the case in terms of identifying and possibly rescuing victims.
“We would first like to identify the children if that were possible and rescue them,” said Judd. “Or certainly if there are other people that have been the victim of this guy uploading child porn to them we need to know that as well.”
Browning has already bonded out of jail. Judd said he faces similar charges in Virginia.