DeSoto County sex offender charged with possession of child pornography

DESOTO COUNTY, Fla. — A convicted sex offender in DeSoto County has been arrested on multiple felony charges including possession of child pornography after an investigation by DeSoto County detectives working with a national task force.

Richard Dale Estes was taken into custody after detectives received a cybertip about apparent child pornography uploaded through the WhatsApp messaging platform, according to the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office.

They got the report on July 25, 2025, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). A 22-minute video depicted child sexual abuse, deputies say.

Through the investigation, the sheriff's office says Estes was identified as the person who uploaded the video. As a registered sex offender, Estes is required by Florida law to register all internet accounts, which authorities say he failed to do with his WhatsApp account.

Detectives executed a search warrant at Estes' residence on NE County Road 660, where they seized multiple electronic devices including phones, a laptop and a camera. These items will undergo forensic examination.

Estes faces three felony charges: possession of child pornography, failure to comply with registration requirements, and failure to report an internet identifier within 48 hours.

Authorities confirmed there are no local victims in this case.

According to state records, Estes was convicted in 2005 in DeSoto County for two counts of lewd, lascivious battery with a victim between 12 and 15-years-old.

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