WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A West Palm Beach man is facing 34 counts of possession of child pornography after police raided his home on Wednesday.
The West Palm Beach Police Department received a CyberTip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The center provides services in the prevention of abducted, endangered or sexually exploited children.
On July 20, Padlet.com, a website where users can post content without registering any information, reported the IP address of an unknown user that had uploaded several images and videos containing the sexual conduct of children.
The IP address belonged to a Comcast customer. Subpoena results revealed the IP address in question was assigned to Christopher Michael Walk of Van Deventer Street in West Palm Beach.
Police secured a search warrant for Walk's residence, which was executed by the West Palm Beach SWAT team, West Palm Beach police, and law enforcement members of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children task force on Wednesday, September 9.
Walk told investigators that he frequented a specific pornography site which allows users to upload and share images and videos.
Walk said while he was watching adult pornography, child pornography "could have popped up."
He told investigators the pornographic website then redirected him to another site.
Walk said he could not remember if he ever downloaded any child pornographic images, however he said he dragged pornographic images from the website to Padlet.com.
Walk told investigators he merely glanced at the pictures that were shared on a wall with outher users and saw both young boys and girls.
According to an arrest affidavit, he said he could not remember if he dragged the child pornography into another folder.
Detectives searched through Walk's computer and located at least 34 images depicting children engaging in sexual conduct.
Walk was arrested and charged with 34 felony counts of possession of child pornography.
