A Lake City man was arrested by the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and faces charges for allegedly downloading and offering to share child pornography images online, according to police reports.Blake Andrew Hauss, 18, 143 NE Howard St., was charged with sexual performance by a child (two counts) after Columbia County Sheriff’s Office detectives and Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the Howard Street address. He is being held in the Columbia County Detention Center without bond.According to information released from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the search warrant was the result of a six-month, online undercover operation.Reports say during the investigation sheriff’s office detectives found a computer that was allegedly downloading and offering to share child pornography online and the investigation led officers to the Howard Street home.
“During the search a computer and other computer-related items were seized,” said Columbia County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Sgt. Ed Seifert. “The seized items will be sent to the FDLE’s crime lab for further examination.”Detectives with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office as well as Special Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are members of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.“Possession, viewing, transmitting or manufacturing child pornography is a crime,” Seifert said. “If you want to report someone for having child pornography either on their computer or some other device, you may report this information to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office at 752-3223 or report it to the Cyper Tip Line at ncmec.org
