81-year-old Homosassa man accused of having thousands of images of child pornography: CCSO

Citrus County deputies are investigating after they say an 81-year-old man had thousands of images of child pornography on electronic devices. 

The backstory:

On January 23, 2025, detectives with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office high-tech crime unit and agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted a search warrant at a Homosassa home after receiving a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child pornography being accessed via the internet from that residence.

Detectives said they seized numerous electronic devices that belonged to the homeowner, 81-year-old John Luis Venable.

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A digital forensic examination on the devices showed thousands of images of child pornography. 

John Luis Venable mugshot courtesy of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.

John Luis Venable mugshot courtesy of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. 

On Wednesday, Venable was arrested on 12 counts of possession of child pornography. 

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He’s being held at the Citrus County Detention Facility on a $900K bond. 

What they're saying:

"In today's digital world, predators are increasingly using the internet to access and share child pornography," said Detective Ben Wilson.  "Offenders like Venable are everywhere online and it is the job of the CCSO's High Tech Crimes Unit to shine a light into the dark corners where they lurk.  The highly trained detectives in our unit utilize the most current technology to track offenders, protect children, and ensure the safety of our community."

"Detective Wilson's dedication and hard work in this case led to the identification and arrest of a predator in our community," said Sergeant Tiffany Barry of the High Tech Crimes Unit. "I am very proud of the hard work of the entire HTCU in this case.  We will continue to work with our partners in FDLE and the Fifth Judicial Circuit to locate, arrest, and prosecute offenders like Venable to keep Citrus County's children safe."

What you can do:

CCSO asks the public to report any suspected cases of child pornography or abuse to our office by calling (352) 726-1121. To remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a reward, contact Crime Stoppers of Citrus County at 1-888-ANY-TIPS (888-269-8477) or online here

The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. 

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