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'We will find you:' Sebastian police volunteer arrested for possession of child porn

Arnold Flannery, 75, faces numerous charges
Arnold Flannery arrested on child porn charges April 16 2024
Posted at 12:42 PM, Apr 16, 2024
and last updated 2024-04-16 16:30:34-04

SEBASTIAN, Fla. — A volunteer for the Sebastian Police Department is in custody after authorities executed a search warrant obtained by the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.

Sebastian police said Arnold Flannery was arrested Tuesday morning at his home in the 4000 block of Limerick Court.

"We did find a number of child pornography images and as of right now, he's being charged with basic counts of possession of child pornography," Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said. "Our team continues to analyze the items that were recovered—computer hard drives, thumb drives."

According to the sheriff's office, Flannery is a member of the Sebastian Police Department's volunteer program and was taken into custody following the search.

"Having been one of our former volunteers and a current volunteer, here in Sebastian, somebody that's known around town and in the community, we wanted to get the word out," Flowers said.

Sheriff Eric Flowers speaks about arrest of Arnold Flannery, April 16, 2024
Sheriff Eric Flowers speaks to WPTV about Arnold Flannery's arrest on child pornography charges.

The details surrounding the search warrant and what led up to his arrest have not been released yet, however, the sheriff's office said charges are forthcoming.

"It doesn't matter if you volunteer, it doesn't matter who you are, if you're out there dealing in child pornography, we will find you and we'll bring you to justice," Flowers said.

Police said Flannery is in custody pending further legal proceedings.

"The safety and well-being of our community's children are of utmost importance," Sebastian Police Chief Daniel Acosta said in a news release. "The behavior alleged in this case is abhorrent and will not be tolerated by anyone, regardless of their position. Our thoughts are with the victims, and we are committed to ensuring justice is served."