WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) — A Polk County man was caught with hundreds of photos and videos of child pornography after his former roommate told police about the situation, authorities said.
The Winter Haven Police Department said its investigation began after the suspect, 31-year-old Nikolas Andrew Young, and his roommate got into a dispute while Young was evicted in December 2022.
While a police officer was at the scene of the dispute, the roommate told the officer that Young had child pornography on his computer and that Young had shown him the pornography, according to the department.
A detective later followed up on the roommate’s information. Officers said the roommate said he had known Young for three years and had been living with him for 15 months.
According to police, the roommate told the detective that Young had a secured folder on an Apple laptop.
“Further, Young advised the roommate, ‘Don’t tell anyone, I have a secured file that could put me in jail for the remainder of my life because I do watch child porn.'” the police department said.
Officers located Young at his new home in Poinciana on Jan. 20, 2023, where he told them he used to watch child pornography but deleted the images to clean himself up.
According to police, officers searched the computer, discovering hundreds of images and videos showing children as young as four being sexually assaulted by adults. However, police said the images did include Young or any known children from Polk County.
“We are thankful for that roommate who spoke up to report this heinous crime that was occurring,” Chief David Brannan said. “These children had their innocence taken away for deviants like Young and they will never get that back. He is where he needs to be and should be staying there for a long time.”
Young was booked into the Polk County Jail on child pornography charges.