JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office dispatcher is facing charges of distributing images and a video over the internet depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
Scott Matthew Yotka, 37, was arrested Friday at his home by FBI agents, according to a release from Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann.
The FBI, assisted by the JSO, executed a federal search warrant at Yotka’s home on Friday morning.
On Wednesday, federal authorities say Yotka used a social media app to chat with an undercover FBI task force officer who was posing as a parent. Yotka was chatting under the username “Scottnjax44″ and posing as an admin of a public chat room on the app, according to court documents.
In a private message conversation on the app, Yotka “engaged in an explicit conversation with the undercover officer regarding the sexual exploitation of children,” the release detailed.
Authorities said Yotka also sent the undercover officer several photos and one video that depicted young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
READ: Videos show Bartram Trail High School students yelling homophobic slurs at fellow students
During the conversation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Yotka also stated that he was employed as an “emergency dispatcher” and worked “12 hour shifts.”
After seeking emergency disclosure information from the app and AT&T, the FBI learned that IP activity by “Scottnjax44″ matched up, in part, to Yotka’s home in Jacksonville and that he was listed as the subscriber on the account.
Frequent activity from a second IP address used by the “Scottnjax44″ account was tracked to Ed Ball Building in downtown Jacksonville, according to the release.
Gabby Petito disappearance: FBI search Laundrie family home in Florida
On Thursday, FBI agents confirmed with JSO that Yotka was at that time employed by JSO as a dispatcher and that he routinely worked a 12-hour night shift.
JSO said, “Following the arrest, Scott Yotka resigned his position as a Police Emergency Communications Officer.”
Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact the FBI Jacksonville office at (904) 248-7000.
Yotka faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Yotka remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 22.
READ: Meyer to Jaguars fans after Broncos loss: Don’t give up on us, hang in there
©2021 Cox Media Group
