A Port St. Lucie police officer who won Officer of the Year four years ago during his previous job with the Fort Pierce Police Department was arrested on September 22 in an investigation related to child pornography.
Michael Harding, who had joined the Port Lucie Police Department in 2012, had been under investigation by undercover officers since July. Investigators were under the belief that Harding, who worked from Saturday to Tuesday between 10 p.m.-8 a.m., allegedly uploaded some of material while in his patrol car.
The basis for that investigation stemmed from the posting of a pair of photos that showed a female under the age of 13 engaging in sex, which were traced back to a Kik Messenger account allegedly held by Harding. Those finds came from AT&T cooperating with Homeland Security to provide that information.
Subsequent postings by the same account, known online as “desthfromabovee,” over the next month showed photos and a video of underage girls having sex. Over the course of the investigation, Harding allegedly used the account 33 times, usually in the early morning hours.
Investigators then found a pair of thumb drives in Harding’s home, one of which had explicit video of children having sex and hundreds of photos of children.
Facing major federal charges involving child pornography, Harding is in need of a St Lucie internet misconduct attorney like Jeffrey Garland. That’s because Garland has compiled an enviable record in defending individuals charged with such crimes.
Garland also qualifies as a Fort Pierce internet misconduct lawyer, given that his office is located in the Sunrise City. That locale could come into play if investigators choose to investigate Harding’s previous position as a Fort Pierce police officer.
Being able to use computer and internet experts that are able to show how such actions as hacking can occur is something that Garland excels in. When it comes to something as sordid as child pornography, an individual’s life can be ruined, even though they may be the victim of such hacking.
The intricacies of computer software and actual possession of items deemed to be criminal in nature require having someone who knows their way around the internet and computers.
So if you or someone you know is in need of either a St Lucie internet misconduct attorney or Fort Pierce internet misconduct lawyer, contact Jeffrey Garland today at either 772-489-2200 or 772-489-0610.