A man who owned and operated a Polk County carpet cleaning company for years now stands accused of grooming children for sex. He led a secret life, according to reports, bringing children into his home while his wife was away at work. Fox 13 notes that the man “had trampolines at his home, a swimming pool, lots of kids toys and the latest electronics that would interest children.”
An investigation of the man’s home yielded more than 4,500 images of child pornography, many of them featuring the man himself with his victims; he now faces 197 criminal charges, 132 of which were filed last week following an additional home investigation.
Why this case stands out
The arrest is the latest in a series made by the Polk County Sherriff’s Office. Indeed, detectives have recently filed charges against dozens of individuals in a concerted effort to crack down on child pornography, child molestation, internet solicitation and related crimes.
Yet this case stands out. The accused photographed himself in the act of molesting children, and allegedly maintained a “secret room” that his wife was disallowed from entering, and where he isolated himself with children whom he brought to his home. And he used his business to further his exploits, hiring employees with young children (whom he offered to babysit) and pursuing cleaning contracts with daycare centers.
“Evil in the flesh”
Moreover, the Polk County man has a record of sexual abuse dating back more than 30 years, and has spent a great many months in prison for previous offenses.
As such, the Sherriff’s Office is urging victims and their families to step forward and help build the case. “This stuff works me up. I can’t stand this,” the sheriff said. “This guy is evil in the flesh.”
