Crime & Safety
USF Systems Analyst From Riverview Facing Child Pornography Charges
The Internet Predator Unit of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reports the arrest of Peter Barnhill, of Riverview, who faces 20 counts of possessing child pornography. The charges follow a two-month online child exploitation investigation.
A Riverview man is facing felony counts of possession of child pornography after deputies found sexual images of young children on his computer.
Peter R. Barnhill, 40, of 13405 Beechberry Drive, was arrested earlier today, June 14, at his home.
His arrest was the result of a two-month online child exploitation investigation by officers of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Internet Predator Unit.
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Barnhill faces 20 counts of possessing child pornography with each count enhanced to a second-degree felony.
According to detectives, Barnhill admitted to downloading files depicting child pornography and saving them in a folder entitled, “Hold."
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"A subsequent search located numerous images and video/movie files depicting children as young as toddlers either posed in lewd position or engaged in sexual activity," according to a sheriff's office release.
The files were located in a folder entitled, “Hold III." Some of the files are from an identified child pornography series known to detectives.
Detectives also seized numerous computer-related items (computers, hard drives) which will be searched forensically.
According to the arrest report, works as a systems analyst for the University of South Florida.
