He Said He Knew She Was a Cop All Along | Benjamin Hoover Interrogation — Transcript

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1. 0:00And wasn't wasn't saying, hey, let me do
2. 0:02this or Have you ever had it happen?
3. 0:04>> And you said something about like a tan
4. 0:05line picture. I just want to make sure
5. 0:06we're talking about the same one. Is
6. 0:07this the one you're talking about?
7. 0:09>> Yeah, I had my hand covering myself up.
8. 0:17>> On July 23rd, 2025,
9. 0:21investigators in Marion County, Florida
10. 0:23were in the middle of an undercover
11. 0:25operation called [music] Seek and Ye
12. 0:27Shall Find Out.
13. 0:28Detectives were posing as underage
14. 0:30teenagers online [music] looking for
15. 0:32adults who would contact them.
16. 0:34One of the people they encountered was
17. 0:3643-year-old Benjamin Hoover who lived in
18. 0:39Ocala.
19. 0:40According to [music] the arrest report
20. 0:42described by local news, Hoover began
21. 0:45exchanging messages with someone on Kik
22. 0:47who said she was underage. Hoover
23. 0:49reportedly acknowledged the age [music]
24. 0:51she gave him but continued the
25. 0:53conversation. He then asked to move
26. 0:55their messages to Telegram.
27. 0:57Investigators [music] say he sent an
28. 0:59inappropriate photograph of himself
29. 1:01during the exchange then quickly deleted
30. 1:03it.
31. 1:04What Hoover didn't realize was that he
32. 1:06wasn't speaking to a teenager. The
33. 1:08person behind the account was an
34. 1:10undercover detective with the Marion
35. 1:12County Sheriff's Office. Three days
36. 1:15later, deputies located Hoover at his
37. 1:17home. [music] They wanted to ask him
38. 1:19about the messages, what he understood
39. 1:21about the person he was talking to, and
40. 1:24the photograph that had been sent.
41. 1:25[music]
42. 1:26This is the interrogation of Benjamin
43. 1:28Hoover.
44. 1:31>> Handcuffs off your right side, correct?
45. 1:32>> Yes, sir.
46. 1:34>> You ever seen that corner share?
47. 1:36This one right here?
48. 1:39>> Can you take them off?
49. 1:40>> Yeah, I'm going to take them off.
50. 1:48I know your wrists have problems before,
51. 1:50so I'm going to try to be uh
52. 1:51>> Yes, sir. I'm not I'm not
53. 1:53I'm not trying to fight or anything like
54. 1:54that.
55. 1:55>> Yeah, all right.
56. 1:56>> Okay.
57. 1:57Got a lighter in my pocket. Right right
58. 1:59here.
59. 1:59>> All right.
60. 2:01All right.
61. 2:07>> Mr. I'll be with you in just a minute,
62. 2:08okay?
63. 2:15>> Hello?
64. 2:16Hey, how are you sir? Can I get you
65. 2:17something to drink?
66. 2:18>> Yes, please. A bottle of
67. 2:19>> I'm sure you can.
68. 2:22By the way, I'm Sergeant
69. 2:24Okay. Do you want to have a seat? Come
70. 2:25in here and talk to me. Do you know why
71. 2:26you're here?
72. 2:27>> No, that's I mean I I have a small idea
73. 2:30because of what what
74. 2:32the call when I was being put in the
75. 2:34car.
76. 2:35>> Yeah.
77. 2:35>> But I've never
78. 2:37I've done my best cuz I even told her I
79. 2:39was like, no, you're police.
80. 2:41>> Okay. Let me uh let me do this. Let's
81. 2:43Let's
82. 2:45uh let's get you something to drink.
83. 2:46We'll explain to you what's going on. Uh
84. 2:48there's an ongoing investigation. We
85. 2:49want to make sure that we get all the
86. 2:50information we can Sergeant Please, sir.
87. 2:52So I'm not
88. 2:54Bro, I literally
89. 2:55>> It's Benjamin.
90. 2:55>> Yeah, Benjamin has explained that he
91. 2:57just wants to know what's going on right
92. 2:58now.
93. 2:59>> definitely told it all to you.
94. 3:01I literally
95. 3:03I knew
96. 3:05what I knew she was police.
97. 3:07>> I'm sorry?
98. 3:07>> I knew the person, Sarah whatever, was
99. 3:09police.
100. 3:10>> Okay.
101. 3:11>> But I even told her you're police.
102. 3:12>> Okay.
103. 3:13>> Why I've never at any point
104. 3:16tried to hook up with her, told her to
105. 3:18come over,
106. 3:19nothing like that. And people in my
107. 3:21religion
108. 3:23we don't deal with that. And I told her
109. 3:24I if anything I protect what I want.
110. 3:27>> And I would really like to talk with you
111. 3:29about that, but obviously
112. 3:30>> I'm sorry. I'm just
113. 3:31>> No, you're fine. You're fine. You're
114. 3:33fine. I just want I just want to make
115. 3:34sure like I said, I'm really interested
116. 3:35in getting your side of the story on
117. 3:36this. Obviously you know how these
118. 3:38things work. I got to read you your
119. 3:39rights before I can ask you any
120. 3:40questions, right? Just cuz you came down
121. 3:42here voluntarily, I want to make sure
122. 3:43you understand that.
123. 3:44>> No, I got to ask and just be honest. Am
124. 3:46I going to be able to go home?
125. 3:48>> I really want to talk with you about
126. 3:50this and and to get a little bit more
127. 3:51information. You know what I mean?
128. 3:52>> are you telling me there's a chance
129. 3:53because I didn't talk to anyone
130. 3:55>> I work on facts and circumstances and
131. 3:56that's it. Um that's all I work in. You
132. 3:59know what I mean?
133. 3:59>> vague answers.
134. 4:00>> I I don't I don't want to give you a
135. 4:01wrong answer. You know I mean?
136. 4:02>> I mean, you would know if I'm going to
137. 4:04be staying with Jalen.
138. 4:06>> Yeah, I'm I'm
139. 4:06>> We can't make you any promises. We just
140. 4:08>> giving you more information, but I got
141. 4:09to read you this
142. 4:10>> Yes, can go ahead.
143. 4:11>> All right. You have the right to remain
144. 4:12silent. Anything you say can and will be
145. 4:14used against you in court of law. You
146. 4:16have the right to talk to a lawyer and
147. 4:17have him present with you while you are
148. 4:18being questioned. If you cannot afford
149. 4:20to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed
150. 4:21to represent you from any question if
151. 4:22you wish. You can at any time execute
152. 4:24these rights and not answer any
153. 4:26questions or make any statements. Do you
154. 4:27understand these rights as explained to
155. 4:29you?
156. 4:29>> sir.
157. 4:29>> Okay. And having these rights in mind,
158. 4:30do you wish to talk with us now?
159. 4:32>> Yeah, I don't have to do anything.
160. 4:33>> Okay. So so you you're talking about
161. 4:35Sarah
162. 4:36and so tell tell me more about this.
163. 4:38Where did you meet Sarah?
164. 4:39>> You guys have heard of KICK, right?
165. 4:41>> Yes.
166. 4:41>> We're very familiar with KICK.
167. 4:42>> I'm in adult groups.
168. 4:43>> Okay.
169. 4:44>> I'm an adult.
170. 4:44>> Okay.
171. 4:45>> Uh and I don't go looking for
172. 4:47I'm in adult groups and in adult groups
173. 4:49we post KICK.
174. 4:50>> Okay.
175. 4:51>> That's going to happen, you know.
176. 4:52>> Sure.
177. 4:53>> Hey, I'm a single male over here.
178. 4:55>> Cuz if adults can do
179. 4:57If you're in an adult group, right, you
180. 4:59should be an adult.
181. 5:01>> Yeah. So I mean, that right there just
182. 5:03I'm automatically going to talk to you
183. 5:04if you if you're in an adult group.
184. 5:06>> Okay.
185. 5:07>> As soon as she said she was young, I
186. 5:09curbed any kind of adult conversation. I
187. 5:10may have you know, I I still talked.
188. 5:12>> Sure.
189. 5:13>> But I didn't try to endorse, you know,
190. 5:15hey, let's hook up. Hey, I'd rather have
191. 5:17talk to somebody that's not going to be
192. 5:19trying to do that stupid [ __ ]
193. 5:20>> Yeah, you want an adult. I get you on
194. 5:22that.
195. 5:22>> Uh but I'm not I didn't know Hold on.
196. 5:24Let's back It's not even that I was
197. 5:25searching for an adult. I just would not
198. 5:28endorse hooking up cuz
199. 5:31I'm an adult.
200. 5:32>> Okay.
201. 5:33>> All right. I don't know if you know what
202. 5:34that is.
203. 5:34>> Sure. I I I don't know a whole lot, but
204. 5:36I I understand a little bit.
205. 5:37>> do not We protect women and children.
206. 5:39>> Sure.
207. 5:40>> And I I had another chick.
208. 5:42Soon as she told me that she was she was
209. 5:44I was like, all right, you know, we're
210. 5:45not doing anything, but I I I'll talk to
211. 5:48you, you know, and I
212. 5:50We just talked about random [ __ ] Hey,
213. 5:51how you doing? You know, I say good
214. 5:53morning. I have a list If you've seen in
215. 5:55my phone, I have a list of
216. 5:57[ __ ] five, six different people plus
217. 5:58my mom every day I just good morning.
218. 5:59I'm in I'm in recovery.
219. 6:01>> Sure.
220. 6:02>> So I'm always trying to be positive. If
221. 6:03you ever look at my Facebook, it's
222. 6:05always positive things.
223. 6:06I've uh
224. 6:08>> We can't control our past, but we can
225. 6:09control our future, right?
226. 6:10>> Exactly. It's one day at a time. You
227. 6:12know, something I'm I'm striving for. I
228. 6:14got a job now.
229. 6:16Uh you know, I've got a I'm in a sober
230. 6:17living house. You know, so I take my
231. 6:19recovery seriously. I don't get high
232. 6:22anymore. I don't I don't touch alcohol
233. 6:24at all because
234. 6:25that'll have me doing drugs and then
235. 6:27next thing you know I'll be robbing your
236. 6:28shoes from your feet.
237. 6:29>> I get you.
238. 6:30So when did you meet Sarah?
239. 6:32I'll I'll let me rephrase that. When did
240. 6:34you when did you meet her on Kik?
241. 6:36>> That was like what is it? 3 days ago, 4
242. 6:38days ago.
243. 6:39>> Okay, so you started talking. And you're
244. 6:40saying correct me if I'm wrong, and if I
245. 6:41say anything wrong in synergy I want you
246. 6:43to correct me.
247. 6:45No, no, I'm not cuz like I said I work
248. 6:46with past circumstances. So you met
249. 6:48Sarah in an adult Kik group. Is that
250. 6:51correct? And you said that adult Kik
251. 6:53group it's kind of people posting
252. 6:54photos. Is that correct?
253. 6:55>> I mean it's
254. 6:56there's what you know what a bot is on
255. 6:59There's a lot of bots in there but then
256. 7:00there's a lot of you know hey hook up
257. 7:02and there's a lot of people posting
258. 7:03pictures of themselves you know having
259. 7:05said but
260. 7:06but it's an adult group.
261. 7:07>> I get you. And is that like you said an
262. 7:09Ocala based thing or something
263. 7:10different?
264. 7:11>> It's it's Ocala, Belle, you know it's
265. 7:12I'm not going to It's all
266. 7:13>> general area you would live in.
267. 7:16Not not like New York City or
268. 7:17California.
269. 7:17>> I don't have a car so I'm not trying to
270. 7:19>> I get you.
271. 7:20I get you, dude. Okay, so you met her on
272. 7:22there and
273. 7:24from what I understand like it's like a
274. 7:25messaging thing kind of like a Facebook
275. 7:26messenger, right?
276. 7:27>> That's it. Yeah, it's all
277. 7:28>> did you message her or she message you?
278. 7:30>> She messaged me and told me to PM her.
279. 7:32>> Okay.
280. 7:32>> And uh just because I would you know
281. 7:34random things
282. 7:35>> Cuz people kind of post like in like the
283. 7:37general group like hey PM me if you want
284. 7:39to talk.
285. 7:39>> Yeah, PM me you know let's play and so
286. 7:42of course you if I see profile hey PM
287. 7:44me.
288. 7:44>> Okay, you PM'd her and then what what
289. 7:46happened after that?
290. 7:47>> Uh she asked me hey
291. 7:49just how I was doing. I sent her a
292. 7:51picture of me fully clothed. You know, I
293. 7:52never sent her a nude. She may have seen
294. 7:54one on the online or something.
295. 7:55>> Bring up a good point. I want to make
296. 7:57sure
297. 7:57>> She She may have seen one
298. 7:58>> talking about Sarah. That's Sarah.
299. 8:00>> She sent me that picture.
300. 8:01>> what makes you recognize that it's
301. 8:02Sarah?
302. 8:03>> Cuz she sent it to me.
303. 8:04>> Okay, so that's his picture she sent
304. 8:06you?
305. 8:06>> that's
306. 8:07She sent this
307. 8:08>> to you on Kick.
308. 8:09>> Yes.
309. 8:09>> Got it. Okay.
310. 8:10>> That's the persona that
311. 8:11>> your accounts
312. 8:14is
313. 8:15this one, correct?
314. 8:16>> Yes.
315. 8:17>> That's you. Yes, definitely you. And
316. 8:19that's your house right there in the
317. 8:20background right there?
318. 8:21Okay, I got you. So that's your account.
319. 8:23It's like
320. 8:24Tears Hand 81, right? That's a cool
321. 8:26username.
322. 8:27>> Tear is the
323. 8:29uh it's the What is Hand in Fenrir's
324. 8:31mouth and save the world I I get that
325. 8:34for sure.
326. 8:35I try to be, you know. It's it's good to
327. 8:36know other cultures for sure.
328. 8:37>> Is that this tattoo here? What is this
329. 8:39tattoo here?
330. 8:40>> That's Hordalaz and Ansuz. Um Hordalaz
331. 8:43is the rune I was born under and it
332. 8:46stands for destiny renewal.
333. 8:49Ansuz is the god rune. Um it's our link
334. 8:51to spirituality, to energy.
335. 8:54Um that's the volknut. It stands for
336. 8:56Odin, Vili, Ve and all the other gods.
337. 8:59Um then this is just silliness. It's
338. 9:02just a little bit of random every now
339. 9:03and then.
340. 9:04>> Okay.
341. 9:05Okay. So
342. 9:05>> So nothing gang related. I'm not in a
343. 9:07gang or anything like that. I do have an
344. 9:09STG tattoo, but I've been trying to get
345. 9:10it off me. That's just because I have
346. 9:12Caucasian outlaw, Caucasian legend on my
347. 9:14back. They labeled me a white
348. 9:15supremacist.
349. 9:16>> I got you.
350. 9:17>> It sucks.
351. 9:17>> Whatever. Yeah.
352. 9:18>> No, don't worry about it.
353. 9:19>> No, I'm I'm just saying like we're we're
354. 9:20not concerned. Yeah yeah yeah. I don't I
355. 9:22don't mean that in a bad way. Not not
356. 9:24like in a derogatory way.
357. 9:25>> So okay, labeled as a gang member when
358. 9:27you don't have gang ties.
359. 9:28>> So she You guys are messaging on Kick
360. 9:31and
361. 9:32you said something about
362. 9:34you knew she was police or something
363. 9:35like that.
364. 9:36>> That came about later.
365. 9:37>> Okay. So what were you guys talking
366. 9:39about at first?
367. 9:40>> I mean at first it was it was not polite
368. 9:43talk, you know. It wasn't hey, you know,
369. 9:44send me or I'll never ask a girl to send
370. 9:46me a nude or nothing like that. That's
371. 9:48not my nature because they got free
372. 9:51>> Sure.
373. 9:52>> What do I look like?
374. 9:53>> Yeah.
375. 9:53>> But um
376. 9:55I mean honestly I don't remember most of
377. 9:57it just because as soon as you know I I
378. 9:59gave her my Telegram because I I don't
379. 10:02have any Kick notifications on. There's
380. 10:04way too many bots.
381. 10:05>> So you guys started talking on Kick and
382. 10:07then went to Telegram
383. 10:08>> Telegram. I told her I said my I
384. 10:10>> don't get notifications on here.
385. 10:11>> Okay.
386. 10:11>> You know,
387. 10:12uh so maybe if you don't have to make a
388. 10:14profile on Telegram and what we can talk
389. 10:17there. I gave her my Telegram.
390. 10:18>> And Telegram, that's kind of similar to
391. 10:20Kik, right?
392. 10:20>> it's it's a chat platform.
393. 10:22>> I got you. Okay.
394. 10:23>> it's not I mean
395. 10:24>> And then do you guys start messaging on
396. 10:26Telegram? Is that correct? So you have
397. 10:28tears hand 81 on Kik. What's the
398. 10:31username?
399. 10:32>> Tears weapon.
400. 10:33>> Tears weapon. Okay, that's really cool.
401. 10:34And then you start messaging her on
402. 10:37there. Did she message you or you
403. 10:38message her or something different?
404. 10:39>> She messaged me first.
405. 10:40>> Okay, and how did you know it was her?
406. 10:42>> Uh just because I seen her
407. 10:44picture. And she said hey, it's Sarah.
408. 10:47>> That's pretty much more clear than that.
409. 10:49Okay, I got you. Okay, what did you guys
410. 10:51talk about on the Kik? You said on the
411. 10:52Kik it was kind of not polite, right?
412. 10:54Which is
413. 10:54>> I mean it was just yeah, it was just it
414. 10:56wasn't that it was anything
415. 10:58you know, but I think she mentioned she
416. 11:00was young.
417. 11:01Um and that's what I kind of
418. 11:03veered away.
419. 11:04>> Yeah. She told you she was young on
420. 11:05Telegram?
421. 11:06>> No, on Kik.
422. 11:07>> Okay.
423. 11:07>> Um and I she's like you not I was like I
424. 11:10don't mind talking to you, but nothing
425. 11:11would ever happen to you.
426. 11:12>> did she tell you she was?
427. 11:15>> Okay, and to me I don't mind talking I'm
428. 11:17not going to be inappropriate though.
429. 11:18>> Okay.
430. 11:19>> Like she offered she's insinuated many
431. 11:22times what are you trying to do? And I'm
432. 11:23like not sure. And I'm not
433. 11:25>> to figure out what your intentions are
434. 11:26and stuff like that.
435. 11:27>> Which is important for people to do, you
436. 11:29know? mean especially when it's I and I
437. 11:32even tried to tell her listen, I don't
438. 11:34that's not me.
439. 11:34>> I get you do.
440. 11:35>> I told her straight up I'm my religion
441. 11:36we don't deal with that kind of stuff.
442. 11:38You're young. I mean I'll talk to you
443. 11:40and I'll talk to you about anything,
444. 11:41right?
445. 11:41>> Maybe you
446. 11:42should tell her
447. 11:43>> I mean I'm not I have no I raised my son
448. 11:45with no censorship.
449. 11:46>> I get you. So
450. 11:48>> I'm not going to up with her. I told her
451. 11:50until you're 18. And but that to me
452. 11:52that's not wrong if I'm saying that when
453. 11:53you turn 18 we can cuz then it's legal.
454. 11:55>> So you guys did you guys continue kind
455. 11:57of just having conversation on
456. 11:59>> It just be random stuff. Um you know, it
457. 12:01would be everything from how's your day,
458. 12:02you know, what are you doing? And you
459. 12:04know, me I I do smoke weed, not up
460. 12:06marijuana. It's just
461. 12:07>> Ain't nothing wrong with that.
462. 12:08>> Um and I tell her I'm smoking a joint
463. 12:10just relaxing and she's oh I I'd like to
464. 12:11smoke. I was like yeah, I I don't want
465. 12:13to
466. 12:15Um,
467. 12:16and it's just
468. 12:19I just don't understand how
469. 12:22it could be that I mean she's seen
470. 12:24pictures I can't stop her from being
471. 12:25seeing pictures of them.
472. 12:26>> Right.
473. 12:26>> Especially when they're on K it's a it's
474. 12:28a open thing.
475. 12:29>> And how many pictures did you have on K?
476. 12:31>> Me?
477. 12:32>> Like what of you? And the thing is is
478. 12:34that John John and I work in this all
479. 12:35the time so you're not going to
480. 12:36embarrass me.
481. 12:38When you say me and you point at your
482. 12:40>> Yeah, I mean I
483. 12:42I don't mind it you know I'm not bashful
484. 12:44I'm not ashamed of it at all you know.
485. 12:46>> We're all we're all human you know what
486. 12:47I mean? So like was
487. 12:49there multiple pictures on there or one
488. 12:51picture or something?
489. 12:51>> No, I I'll I'll post pictures all day if
490. 12:54they want to see them.
491. 12:55>> Okay.
492. 12:56>> But then again it's I'm an only adult
493. 12:58groups.
494. 12:58>> I get you.
495. 12:59>> You know I don't go I'm not there's I
496. 13:01don't go looking for teens or something
497. 13:03like that.
498. 13:03>> So she sent you pictures of herself like
499. 13:06like you said just like the one we
500. 13:07looked at here and you sent a picture of
501. 13:09yourself only clothed. Did she send you
502. 13:11any other type of pictures?
503. 13:12>> There nothing was ever known
504. 13:14no nudity was ever no I
505. 13:16no nothing at all.
506. 13:17>> And did you send her anything like that?
507. 13:19>> No, I never sent anything.
508. 13:21There was one
509. 13:22she
510. 13:23she asked me I sorry I didn't mean to
511. 13:26There was one I I covered myself.
512. 13:28>> Okay.
513. 13:29>> So I mean she she asked me I I thought I
514. 13:31was like I'm a [ __ ] Mexican you know
515. 13:32just because I'm
516. 13:34and I don't want her to see the tan
517. 13:35line.
518. 13:36>> Oh, I see what you're getting at.
519. 13:36>> Yeah, you know.
520. 13:37>> You must be working hard. I I do I bust
521. 13:39my ass I build pools.
522. 13:40>> wearing sunscreen?
523. 13:41>> No, I don't wear sunscreen man
524. 13:44>> I'm I'm insane and everything
525. 14:13>> or if she wanted to offer sex.
526. 14:15>> oral sex, offer her sex.
527. 14:17>> I never wanted to say, hey, let me eat
528. 14:19you. No, no, no. I I'd ask her if she'd
529. 14:21done something.
530. 14:22>> Sure.
531. 14:22>> But I never would want to say
532. 14:25You got my phone. You I'm sure you guys
533. 14:26have a recording of everything that's
534. 14:28been done to her. I know she was police.
535. 14:30I called her on it.
536. 14:31There was another one
537. 14:32trying to hit me up and at first she
538. 14:33told me she was 22.
539. 14:35And I asked her a couple questions and
540. 14:38you know, it's a sexualized group. So I
541. 14:40asked her some sexualized questions.
542. 14:42>> Mhm.
543. 14:42>> And she got real bad. So I said, you
544. 14:44don't act like you're 22. You know, if
545. 14:46you're 22, asking if a man's ever went
546. 14:49on you, that should not be a
547. 14:51Right, right, right.
548. 14:52So automatically and then I I she sent
549. 14:54me a picture and it was in a blue
550. 14:56mirror.
551. 14:57And I said it it's the same one Sarah
552. 14:59the same mirror and everything Sarah
553. 15:00sent. I was like, y'all are police.
554. 15:02>> Have you ever run into this before where
555. 15:03you're online and you're talking to
556. 15:05someone that lied about their age?
557. 15:06>> Uh I mean I I've never really hooked up
558. 15:08with anybody online.
559. 15:10I mean I
560. 15:11>> Well, I guess my I know that, but my
561. 15:12question is like
562. 15:13have you ever tried to know somebody and
563. 15:15they like you know, you've ever seen
564. 15:17like a teenager online before like this?
565. 15:19>> I mean not that you that not that
566. 15:21they're going to sell it. You know, I
567. 15:22don't talk to people like that.
568. 15:24>> Mhm.
569. 15:24>> [clears throat]
570. 15:25>> I mean there was a chick that I talked
571. 15:26to as soon as she said she was young. I
572. 15:28instantly I you know, we stopped any
573. 15:31kind of conversation.
574. 15:32And she was you know, hey, my
575. 15:33grandmother's gone. I was like, hey,
576. 15:34great, you know, what are you having for
577. 15:35dinner? I'd always keep it very kosher.
578. 15:37>> Vanilla, yeah.
579. 15:38>> Very vanilla.
580. 15:39>> Where are you from originally, guy?
581. 15:40>> Where was I born?
582. 15:41>> Yeah.
583. 15:41>> Uh California, Valencia.
584. 15:42>> No [ __ ] And what brings you to Florida?
585. 15:44Are you Are you moved here or
586. 15:46>> [ __ ] the hell.
587. 15:48Um I went to New York, lived up there.
588. 15:50My mom and uh family moved down here
589. 15:532000.
590. 15:54>> Okay.
591. 15:54>> Um me and my stepfather gone to a little
592. 15:56spiff. So I went up to North Carolina,
593. 15:58came back down in 2003.
594. 16:01Um been here ever since. I had my son
595. 16:03and I told him I'm never going to be far
596. 16:04from him.
597. 16:05>> Mhm.
598. 16:05>> You know, I haven't left the state of
599. 16:06Florida since. You know, I
600. 16:08>> Do you have family here in Ocala?
601. 16:10>> Um not Ocala, but Leesburg. Um my mom
602. 16:12moved up to uh Franklin, North Carolina,
603. 16:15which kind of aggravates me cuz she's
604. 16:17not in the of health, but
605. 16:19um
606. 16:20and my sister somewhere in South
607. 16:21Carolina. I don't really talk to her.
608. 16:23>> And what brings you to Arden after the
609. 16:24woods? How long have you been in Ocala?
610. 16:25>> Um when I just got out of prison in
611. 16:26February.
612. 16:27>> Okay.
613. 16:27>> Um and when I got out, I went in
614. 16:29straight into sober living.
615. 16:30>> Sure.
616. 16:31>> You know, cuz I'm big on all my
617. 16:32recovery. I know
618. 16:33>> Inevitable.
619. 16:34>> I have to. If I don't think about it
620. 16:36every day, then I'm going to backslide
621. 16:37the first day.
622. 16:38>> Mhm.
623. 16:38>> Um my third day out, I had a job. You
624. 16:41know, I'm legit trying to I'm working on
625. 16:44my credit. Next year I was going to buy
626. 16:46a house.
627. 16:47I mean, I'm really doing my best to be
628. 16:50productive, and that's why I'm so
629. 16:51flabbergasted cuz I never had any
630. 16:53intentions on hooking up with anybody.
631. 16:56I mean, I if you look through my phone,
632. 16:58you'll see I I actually have somebody. I
633. 16:59call my girl. You know, that's why she
634. 17:02just with another
635. 17:03>> That's what we'd like to do with your
636. 17:04permission, but we can talk about that a
637. 17:05little bit later.
638. 17:06>> You know, I really cuz I
639. 17:09I I didn't do anything that I I mean, I
640. 17:11I said a couple inappropriate things.
641. 17:13>> Sure.
642. 17:14>> It wasn't It wasn't saying, hey, let me
643. 17:16do this or have you ever had it happen?
644. 17:17>> And you said something about like a tan
645. 17:19line picture. I just want to make sure
646. 17:20we're talking about the same one. Is
647. 17:21this the one you're talking about?
648. 17:23>> Yeah, I have my hand covering myself up.
649. 17:25>> Okay.
650. 17:26And help me understand. You said that
651. 17:29you sent that picture because
652. 17:32>> I'm living
653. 17:32>> about what?
654. 17:34>> Uh now you got me trying to remember
655. 17:35context.
656. 17:36>> It's okay.
657. 17:37>> I was letting her know I was letting her
658. 17:39know I was just getting off work or
659. 17:40something like that cuz I just get every
660. 17:42That's definitely me jumping in the
661. 17:43shower.
662. 17:44>> Okay.
663. 17:44>> That might have been what it was, and
664. 17:46then I I mentioned the tan lines.
665. 17:47>> You did.
666. 17:48>> And
667. 17:49she said something. I can't remember cuz
668. 17:51I
669. 17:52At that point, I'm already
670. 17:52disacknowledging everything she said.
671. 17:54>> Right. And so,
672. 17:56was there like any legitimate reason for
673. 17:58you to send her that picture or was it
674. 17:59just kind of like conversation?
675. 18:01>> That was just That's why I made sure to
676. 18:03cover myself up. I wasn't trying to be
677. 18:05you know, there was no sex if you look
678. 18:06in the phone.
679. 18:07>> I mean, but we can agree like I I saw
680. 18:09the whole picture. And
681. 18:11the thing is I mean, obviously you're
682. 18:12part of your
683. 18:13>> I did
684. 18:18>> Definitely. Visible ones, too.
685. 18:19>> don't believe that.
686. 18:20>> I I I can't, but I
687. 18:22>> I say I And the thing is is what we're
688. 18:23looking for is to try to understand like
689. 18:26people. You know what I mean? Because
690. 18:28the thing is is
691. 18:30we both work in a a special victims unit
692. 18:31where we deal with people that just do
693. 18:33the absolute worst things to the people
694. 18:35we all want to protect. And I think
695. 18:36you're on our team for that.
696. 18:37>> I
697. 18:38I would kill if I would I would be the
698. 18:41one to stab me.
699. 18:42>> I 100%
700. 18:43That picture if you look a lot of those
701. 18:45pictures
702. 18:46it's a I'm taking it as I'm I didn't
703. 18:49even recognize that that was in there. I
704. 18:50would never show her a chat.
705. 18:52>> And I think you're being extremely
706. 18:53honest with us. I think there are some
707. 18:55parts I think there's some parts that we
708. 18:57are leaving out because they might be a
709. 18:59little embarrassing. But what I can say
710. 19:00is that John and I work in this stuff
711. 19:02all the time
712. 19:03because the thing is is like I I I read
713. 19:04all the Kik messages and I read all the
714. 19:06and I read all the Telegram messages.
715. 19:08And I think we can both agree here that
716. 19:09the reason we went from Kik to Telegram
717. 19:12was because she told you her age.
718. 19:13>> I I had not told you that. And then
719. 19:16>> You're very specific in saying I wish
720. 19:17she wouldn't have told me your age.
721. 19:19>> Yeah, because I mean at that point it
722. 19:20was a hot conversation.
723. 19:22>> Right. But we can agree that like if we
724. 19:24find out that we're talking to a child
725. 19:25we should probably just continue talking
726. 19:27to them, right? Because like like you
727. 19:28said
728. 19:28>> Hindsight I would
729. 19:29>> Because like you said if you found out
730. 19:30someone made it to the yard and they
731. 19:32were there for talking to someone that
732. 19:33was a child you would have wanted them
733. 19:35to confirm if they were a child, right?
734. 19:37>> I
735. 19:38I can't disagree with that.
736. 19:38>> we can all agree that that's wrong. And
737. 19:40like you said I I do with people that
738. 19:41are just absolute animals and I do with
739. 19:43some people that just make mistakes. And
740. 19:45I think you're on the mistake side for
741. 19:46sure. I don't think you're that either
742. 19:48because I don't think you could live
743. 19:49with yourself if you were you.
744. 19:50>> I mean just right now I'm [ __ ] having
745. 19:52anxiety or like
746. 19:53>> And I don't want you to I I I don't want
747. 19:54you to feel like we're trying to make
748. 19:55you feel bad or anything like that. But
749. 19:57like I told you from the from the jump I
750. 19:58work in facts and circumstances and part
751. 20:00of that is getting the truth. And
752. 20:01sometimes it might not be a comfortable
753. 20:02truth. But the thing is I want to do is
754. 20:05put what's true out there. You know I
755. 20:06don't want anyone to make assumptions. I
756. 20:08don't want anyone to make guesses. I
757. 20:10want them to see it as if they were
758. 20:11there in person. You know what I mean?
759. 20:14So can can we agree that maybe maybe we
760. 20:16made a mistake?
761. 20:17>> I definitely made a mistake. Obviously
762. 20:19I'm here.
763. 20:20>> I get you.
764. 20:20>> I mean I I had no intent and that 's why
765. 20:23if go
766. 20:24like you said you've seen all the
767. 20:24messages.
768. 20:25And how many times have she left it open
769. 20:27to hey what do you want to do and I
770. 20:29would not because I don't have no
771. 20:32interest in a
772. 20:34>> But we can agree that we had enough
773. 20:37interest to send a sexually provocative
774. 20:39photo of part of our
775. 20:41>> And that was totally fine. I really did.
776. 20:43>> Well, I don't think you accidentally
777. 20:44sent it. I think you said
778. 20:45>> I I meant I meant that it was I was
779. 20:47trying to cover
780. 20:48I'm not small. I might I'm
781. 20:50>> I get you. And what else I want to ask
782. 20:52you about was the the kick profile
783. 20:54picture and stuff like that. And then
784. 20:55the pic profile picture on
785. 20:57>> I was
786. 20:58I changed it.
787. 20:59>> I know but you you specifically asked
788. 21:01her if she had seen it and then you guys
789. 21:03continued talking about
790. 21:05because there was a very clear
791. 21:08on on that screen. Like I said we're all
792. 21:11men.
793. 21:11>> I know but it that don't make it better.
794. 21:13>> I know it doesn't make it better but
795. 21:14what what makes it better is being able
796. 21:17to look at yourself in the mirror and
797. 21:18being honest.
798. 21:19Can can we agree that you put that
799. 21:21profile picture there so she could see
800. 21:22that?
801. 21:23>> No, the profile picture was here.
802. 21:24>> But you asked her to go and look at it.
803. 21:25Can we agree on that?
804. 21:26>> was trying to change it.
805. 21:28>> Then why why why would you ask her to go
806. 21:29look at it before you changed it? We
807. 21:30could have
808. 21:30>> I I asked her to look at it.
809. 21:32>> Yeah, and then you guys continued
810. 21:33talking.
811. 21:34>> I can't I'm not going to argue with that
812. 21:35cuz I'm I'm
813. 21:37>> But you don't want to argue because it's
814. 21:39true?
815. 21:39>> It was very inappropriate.
816. 21:40>> I I have a question. So you said the the
817. 21:42mistake I wanted to clarify the mistake.
818. 21:44You said that
819. 21:45you made a mistake by sending that. Was
820. 21:47it the mistake of did you have this
821. 21:48picture already in your camera roll and
822. 21:50you sent the wrong one or did you make a
823. 21:52mistake by not covering yourself all the
824. 21:53way in the photo?
825. 21:54>> all the way.
826. 21:55>> Got you. Thank you for clarifying.
827. 21:56>> I could because I
828. 21:58I just want to be clear.
829. 22:00>> Cuz sometimes people have pictures in
830. 22:01their their camera roll and they send
831. 22:02the wrong one, you know what I mean?
832. 22:03>> I mean I I have if you look in the I
833. 22:05have three of them. I know one of them I
834. 22:08definitely and that's when I thought I
835. 22:09sent that was 100% cuz I literally I
836. 22:13I couldn't make sure.
837. 22:15>> So nothing like this has ever happened?
838. 22:17You've never been in trouble for
839. 22:19anything like this before?
840. 22:21>> I know you've ran my history. You'll
841. 22:22never see anything about I've
842. 22:25>> Before we move on I want to
843. 22:26>> make sure because you
844. 22:27>> you
845. 22:28>> the picture immediately. What made you
846. 22:29delete it?
847. 22:30>> Because I realized it was wrong.
848. 22:31>> Okay. Cuz and you said something about
849. 22:33you had been extorted before or
850. 22:34something like that.
851. 22:35>> and
852. 22:35and it's not even just with this.
853. 22:38A lot of these
854. 22:40And they'll they'll tell you that I've
855. 22:42I've never had anybody say that to me,
856. 22:43but a lot of them And I'll tell them go
857. 22:45ahead and run it.
858. 22:46And they'll be just you know they'll say
859. 22:49uh hold on. I if I had my I could
860. 22:51actually show you cuz they're in
861. 22:52Telegram and I have
862. 22:54um that I have you sent to them. And I
863. 22:56tell you they're all you know and I but
864. 22:57then they'll come at you with
865. 22:59uh if you don't they'll send you a
866. 23:01spreadsheet with the pictures you sent.
867. 23:03>> What do you deal with all the time?
868. 23:04>> And it's all you do is
869. 23:05>> What do you deal with all the time?
870. 23:07>> you deal with it. The extortion part.
871. 23:08>> Yeah, no. I I don't extort people all
872. 23:10the time.
873. 23:10>> no.
874. 23:11No, I mean and then they try to extort.
875. 23:13If you don't pay I laugh go ahead. I got
876. 23:15pictures of me all over [ __ ] online.
877. 23:17>> So one more, yeah?
878. 23:18>> Part of our investigation is um you said
879. 23:21you've never been in trouble for
880. 23:22anything like this before. We have to
881. 23:23verify like Ryan said the facts and
882. 23:25circumstances. You don't have like it on
883. 23:26your phone. You don't have like
884. 23:29>> No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
885. 23:30>> Would you mind if we can verify what you
886. 23:31have on your phone?
887. 23:33>> You can I'll put my thumbprint on it
888. 23:34now.
889. 23:35>> Okay. What's your passcode for the
890. 23:36phone?
891. 23:36>> I It's my thumbprint.
892. 23:37>> Do you have like a numeric
893. 23:38>> 10 Oh yeah, 1 0
894. 23:403 0
895. 23:428 1
896. 23:42>> Okay. You did touch your birthday?
897. 23:44>> Yes.
898. 23:44>> Okay.
899. 23:45>> I don't do uh
900. 23:45>> What's your 0 8 1?
901. 23:52How long you live there?
902. 23:53>> Since I got out of prison.
903. 23:54>> Cool. So you've been steadily going in
904. 23:56your phone, the Samsung smartphone,
905. 23:57correct?
906. 23:58>> Yes.
907. 23:58>> And who all uses that phone?
908. 24:00>> Uh just me and if somebody needs it for
909. 24:02a quick phone call or something.
910. 24:03>> quick quick hand off. But no one else
911. 24:05has like any expectation of privacy on
912. 24:07that phone or anything like that. And no
913. 24:08one else uses it, right? Other It's not
914. 24:11like John and I share a phone or
915. 24:12anything. Okay. Um you can Did you
916. 24:14graduate high school?
917. 24:15>> Um I got my GED from college.
918. 24:17>> So you understand English language and
919. 24:19you can read it. Um this is a consensus
920. 24:21search form. Like like John said what
921. 24:23we'd like to do is obviously confirm who
922. 24:25we're dealing with and make sure there's
923. 24:26not any problem.
924. 24:27>> want to know that that we're ready
925. 24:28>> for it.
926. 24:29>> Do you need me to read this to you or
927. 24:31would you like to read it yourself?
928. 24:32I'm right here. Like I said, what we're
929. 24:34looking to do is make a copy of the
930. 24:35device so I can go through it in a way
931. 24:37that's not me actually going through
932. 24:38your phone and make sure that everything
933. 24:40you've said about Sarah is correct and
934. 24:42true and that there's not anyone else
935. 24:44that we need to be concerned about.
936. 24:45>> Yeah, I understand.
937. 24:46>> And it is and I think you've been 100%
938. 24:47honest with John. I know there's been
939. 24:49some things that are uncomfortable to
940. 24:50talk about, but I think you've been real
941. 24:52with us, you know?
942. 24:52>> I'm trying because here's my thing.
943. 24:55I'm legit. This is my first time in my
944. 24:57life I'm really trying to do right.
945. 24:59>> Sure.
946. 25:03>> I appreciate you being
947. 25:04>> be my biggest downfall and it's
948. 25:08it's going to hurt.
949. 25:09>> Well.
950. 25:09>> And I'm
951. 25:11I've done everything I can to do right.
952. 25:13I'm going to work every day, sometimes
953. 25:15six days a week, try to do seven.
954. 25:18I go to my meetings. I don't go out of
955. 25:20the house. I go to eat and that's it. I
956. 25:23don't have a life.
957. 25:24>> We all trip and make mistakes and I'm no
958. 25:26different than you. You're no different
959. 25:27than me. As no different than John.
960. 25:29We're all We're all one one situation
961. 25:31from being in the same same boat.
962. 25:33>> in conversation is going to [ __ ] my life
963. 25:34up and I
964. 25:36>> Do you have any questions about this? Do
965. 25:37you want me to read it to you? Okay. If
966. 25:39you're good to
967. 25:40for us to do that, go ahead and sign
968. 25:41that for me please.
969. 25:42>> This is crazy, man.
970. 25:44>> Today is the 26th 7/26.
971. 25:47>> Can I ask you one question and can you
972. 25:48be real with me?
973. 25:49>> I'll be real with you.
974. 25:50>> Am I And is there a chance
975. 25:51>> Um, I think he wants to use
976. 25:55Um, you can go ahead and sign that.
977. 25:56You're fine.
978. 25:57>> Signature?
979. 26:01The 20 what?
980. 26:03>> Uh, today it is the 26th 7
981. 26:0626 25
982. 26:08and it is
983. 26:097/27.
984. 26:12>> Can I ask you a question and can you be
985. 26:14honest with me please?
986. 26:14>> ask me.
987. 26:16>> Is there a chance
988. 26:17>> Um, at this point probably not.
989. 26:20Um, because I mean so here
990. 26:22here's what
991. 26:23>> And just be honest with me please.
992. 26:25>> I I won't become aggressive
993. 26:27>> I And And it's not my nature. I'm
994. 26:28>> And we're we're all human beings. Like I
995. 26:30said, I haven't gotten that vibe from
996. 26:31you at all.
997. 26:32Um, I don't have that concern for me at
998. 26:34all. That's why I'm being honest with
999. 26:35you.
1000. 26:36>> I appreciate that.
1001. 26:36>> We we can all agree that there's certain
1002. 26:38some things that we can't allow to
1003. 26:39happen, right? And I think we can agree
1004. 26:41that what happened
1005. 26:43between you and Sarah is not something
1006. 26:44we can allow to happen. Is that correct?
1007. 26:46>> I I just didn't have that light I saw
1008. 26:49her and I just and
1009. 26:51never thought I was uh
1010. 26:53I just don't want to I had no intent I
1011. 26:55never even gave the impression that I
1012. 26:57had intent.
1013. 26:58>> Well, and and the thing is you're not
1014. 26:59going to be charged with soliciting a
1015. 27:01minor for to commit a sexual act. You're
1016. 27:03being charged with transmission of
1017. 27:05harmful material to a minor, which is
1018. 27:07going to be that the picture that has
1019. 27:08your
1020. 27:09and your your exposed. You know what I
1021. 27:12mean?
1022. 27:12>> Can I Can I ask you a question?
1023. 27:13>> which and we won't Generally, when we
1024. 27:15deal with this, it's it's a lot more.
1025. 27:17Like I said, thankfully you stopped
1026. 27:19before it became much much much worse.
1027. 27:21>> I didn't want I
1028. 27:22>> And you did the right thing and you
1029. 27:23stopped when you thought you should stop
1030. 27:25because you knew it was wrong. You
1031. 27:26deleted the picture because you knew it
1032. 27:27was wrong. And the thing is is that
1033. 27:29shows society that there's hope. You
1034. 27:31know what I mean? Cuz the thing is I get
1035. 27:32people that come in here and they're
1036. 27:34dead to rights. They know what they did.
1037. 27:35They'll lie, lie, lie. Do you think
1038. 27:37anyone will ever believe them again?
1039. 27:38>> No.
1040. 27:39>> No.
1041. 27:39>> And And I I understand you're doing
1042. 27:41everything you can to
1043. 27:43to do the right
1044. 27:44walk the right path, but we all trip
1045. 27:46every once in a while.
1046. 27:47>> Do they offer a bond on this?
1047. 27:48>> So the thing is is um based on this, at
1048. 27:50first appearance is when the judge will
1049. 27:52decide on bond. Just due to being a
1050. 27:54sexual predator.
1051. 27:55>> experience, do they offer a bond?
1052. 27:58>> absolutely. Um, like I said, they do
1053. 28:00look at everything as a whole. Criminal
1054. 28:02history does have a lot to do with it.
1055. 28:04Um, and I I'm very real with you I'm
1056. 28:07very real with you is that that doesn't
1057. 28:09necessarily mean it would be no bond. It
1058. 28:10means it might be higher, lower,
1059. 28:11whatever it is. I think a lot of the
1060. 28:14people I've seen recently have been
1061. 28:16getting bonds.
1062. 28:17>> Um, I appreciate you being That's all
1063. 28:19I'm asking.
1064. 28:20I I I I if I
1065. 28:22if I wasn't going I'd rather I just I'm
1066. 28:24a very factual person.
1067. 28:25>> Mhm.
1068. 28:26>> I know if I'm out on the street, I'll be
1069. 28:28able to work. I'll be able to I don't
1070. 28:30miss my court dates.
1071. 28:30>> And you you know way better than I do if
1072. 28:33you go to first appearance and you're
1073. 28:34respectful and you do what you need to
1074. 28:36do, the judge will see that you were
1075. 28:38honest when faced with the facts and
1076. 28:40circumstances of this case. And
1077. 28:41actually, you didn't even have to be
1078. 28:42faced with them. You put them out there
1079. 28:43before. And the thing is a lot of people
1080. 28:45can tell that. And like I said from the
1081. 28:47beginning, I work in facts and
1082. 28:48circumstances and I put that in an
1083. 28:50affidavit. And then the judge sees what
1084. 28:52I see, what you see. You know what I
1085. 28:54mean?
1086. 28:55So we're going to have all that in
1087. 28:56there. No funny business. We don't hide
1088. 28:58nothing. We don't add nothing. I have I
1089. 29:00have no I have no reason to do that.
1090. 29:02So what I'm going to go do is work with
1091. 29:05our uh the forensics team real quick to
1092. 29:06get this started.
1093. 29:08Um something we offer to people
1094. 29:10sometimes if they'd like because it
1095. 29:12seems like you're remorseful in the
1096. 29:13situation and you might you might
1097. 29:14benefit from putting some some thoughts
1098. 29:16down on paper. Would you be interested
1099. 29:17in writing an apology letter?
1100. 29:19>> Yeah, I I have no
1101. 29:21>> Okay.
1102. 29:22>> I mean I
1103. 29:23I didn't have any harmful intent.
1104. 29:25>> I get you. What I'm going to do is go
1105. 29:27get a pad of paper and pens so you can
1106. 29:29you can put your thoughts out there on
1107. 29:30paper. And um going to get keep
1108. 29:33>> Can I Can I ask you a question?
1109. 29:34>> Yeah, go ahead.
1110. 29:35>> And and it's just because
1111. 29:37I've I've really been trying my best.
1112. 29:39>> Mhm.
1113. 29:39>> Do I have Will I have first appearance
1114. 29:41tomorrow?
1115. 29:42>> Yeah. Tomorrow Yes, it's only 7:30.
1116. 29:44He'll be over there way before midnight.
1117. 29:46>> Um
1118. 29:49when can I make a phone call?
1119. 29:50>> As soon as you get the booking.
1120. 29:52>> Cuz I I got to This is
1121. 29:54>> Yeah, as soon as you get the booking you
1122. 29:55can make as many calls as you want in
1123. 29:56there.
1124. 29:57>> All right.
1125. 29:58>> Okay. Um I'm going to go down the hall
1126. 30:00real quick. If you need something
1127. 30:01there's a deputy right outside this
1128. 30:02door.
1129. 30:03>> Just give me a glass one last question.
1130. 30:04What is the chance
1131. 30:07Can I smoke a cigarette before I go to
1132. 30:08jail?
1133. 30:10I could be put in handcuffs
1134. 30:11>> I I said I don't have cigarettes.
1135. 30:13>> got them in my They took them out of the
1136. 30:14envelope.
1137. 30:15>> Like I said, I I
1138. 30:17If If and and you smoking a cigarette is
1139. 30:20completely separate from everything
1140. 30:21else. Um if if the if the circumstances
1141. 30:25when we go out there um allow for it, I
1142. 30:28have I have no problem with it. It's
1143. 30:30going to be up to whatever deputy is
1144. 30:31here and I'll let them handle that. But
1145. 30:34it it won't bother me. Um you've been
1146. 30:37fine, no issues. I don't I don't see why
1147. 30:39you inhaling a cigarette would be a
1148. 30:41problem.
1149. 30:42No no, you've been you've been fine. So
1150. 30:43let me like you said that's totally
1151. 30:44absent of all this stuff that's but let
1152. 30:46me go get working on this. There'll be a
1153. 30:48deputy right outside of here um and
1154. 30:50we'll go from there, okay?
1155. 30:52>> Do they have any kind of
1156. 30:55t-shirt or something
1157. 30:56>> I have blankets, do you want that?
1158. 30:58>> I mean if it if it'd be just it's more
1159. 31:00comfort than that.
1160. 31:01I was sweating balls as well just
1161. 31:03cooking
1162. 31:04>> Um I'll go grab you a blanket real quick
1163. 31:05and then um we'll go from there, okay?
1164. 31:07>> All right.
1165. 31:14>> Here we go.
1166. 31:15>> Listen, can I ask you a question?
1167. 31:17>> for sure. And you can ask me and I
1168. 31:19really appreciate that.
1169. 31:21>> This letter it's not a confession of of
1170. 31:24trying to do stupid [ __ ] right?
1171. 31:26>> What I can say is anything I collect
1172. 31:28does become evidence for the case and I
1173. 31:30won't lie to you about that.
1174. 31:32Like I said it sometimes gives people an
1175. 31:34opportunity. I can't give you legal
1176. 31:35advice.
1177. 31:37So
1178. 31:37>> know that it's not legal.
1179. 31:39I guess it is.
1180. 31:41>> Um I guess I like to people the
1181. 31:42opportunity
1182. 31:43>> that it would hurt them.
1183. 31:44>> Then don't do it. You don't don't don't
1184. 31:45do what you're not comfortable with. You
1185. 31:47know what I mean?
1186. 31:47>> Cuz I'm not trying to
1187. 31:50I'm not trying to hide cuz I I don't
1188. 31:52feel I did wrong.
1189. 31:52>> Like you said what like you said what
1190. 31:55I've seen from my experience is it gives
1191. 31:57people an opportunity to put what's in
1192. 31:59here down here and for people to see
1193. 32:02what their thoughts and opinions are.
1194. 32:04You know what I mean? But like I said if
1195. 32:05you're not comfortable with it it's it's
1196. 32:07not going to change anything here today.
1197. 32:09>> If I were to write something I don't
1198. 32:10want to turn it in
1199. 32:13>> I mean I I like as as soon as something
1200. 32:16occurs in here obviously there's a
1201. 32:17camera.
1202. 32:18I have I have a duty I I have a duty
1203. 32:21Yeah, I have a I have a duty to collect
1204. 32:22anything so I I I wouldn't be able to
1205. 32:25say that I would collect it and shred
1206. 32:26it.
1207. 32:27>> All right.
1208. 32:28Can I
1209. 32:29What if it had absolutely nothing to do
1210. 32:31with that? I was just getting random
1211. 32:33thoughts down to calm myself.
1212. 32:35>> Um I think we'd be kind of walking a
1213. 32:40>> I think I think based on
1214. 32:43our conversation it probably wouldn't be
1215. 32:44prudent for us to engage in that. You
1216. 32:47know what I mean?
1217. 32:47>> Oh yes. I mean I don't mean anything
1218. 32:50writing anything wrong. It's just kind
1219. 32:51of short thoughts
1220. 32:52>> No no I'm not I'm not saying it in a bad
1221. 32:53way. Like
1222. 32:54Like I I was I don't want to get into
1223. 32:56like a legal ethical gray area.
1224. 32:58>> No that's what I mean.
1225. 33:00If I were to just write random thoughts
1226. 33:02you know
1227. 33:03like trying to nothing incriminating,
1228. 33:05nothing not
1229. 33:06If I were to just
1230. 33:07just put random thoughts that
1231. 33:11like I'm missing my state right now. I
1232. 33:12was in the middle of
1233. 33:13>> If if if that would be helpful for you
1234. 33:15then I I guess I I have I have no
1235. 33:17problem in in doing something that would
1236. 33:19be helpful for you.
1237. 33:21>> I mean that would if I could just have a
1238. 33:22piece of something to write with
1239. 33:24>> But like you said at the end of it I
1240. 33:25will I will I will have to collect it.
1241. 33:27You know what I mean?
1242. 33:28I just don't want you to think that I'm
1243. 33:30like I'm not going to
1244. 33:31>> I don't I'm not going to ask you to
1245. 33:32shred it. I
1246. 33:33I understand that.
1247. 33:33>> I'll be right back.
1248. 33:54>> Sorry just a little more comfortable
1249. 33:56>> You you do what makes you comfortable.
1250. 33:58Like I said I got I got no reason to
1251. 34:00have you be uncomfortable. There's a
1252. 34:01deputy right out here if you need
1253. 34:02>> Yes sir. I really appreciate you cuz I
1254. 34:04know it could have like some
1255. 34:06I'm not that kind of guy.
1256. 34:07>> I get you.
1257. 34:09Like I said they're right out here if
1258. 34:10you need them.
1259. 34:11>> Yes sir.
1260. 34:17>> Oh what's up man?
1261. 34:18>> How you doing sir?
1262. 34:22>> All right you ready?
1263. 34:23>> You ready to give me a towel or a
1264. 34:25blanket?
1265. 34:26>> You were the one that broke the window
1266. 34:27right?
1267. 34:27>> Yes sir.
1268. 34:29Brother is there any way
1269. 34:39>> I got to ask. There is some [ __ ] [ __ ]
1270. 34:41that they
1271. 34:43Throw half that [ __ ]
1272. 34:49>> Well, I got something for you. I can't
1273. 34:51undo a cigarette, but I'll give you
1274. 34:51something
1275. 34:52>> Fair enough.
1276. 34:53>> Fair enough.
1277. 34:54>> Thank you, man.
1278. 34:57>> Just uh I would I would let you stand
1279. 34:59out there and smoke a cigarette, but I
1280. 35:00got We're very busy right now.
1281. 35:02>> Yeah, fair enough. I I have a cigarette
1282. 35:04I'll give you a cigarette.
1283. 35:04>> Fair enough.
1284. 35:08>> Following the interrogation, Benjamin
1285. 35:10Hoover was booked into the Marion County
1286. 35:12Jail in July 2025.
1287. 35:15His arrest was [music] part of a six-day
1288. 35:17multi-agency undercover operation called
1289. 35:20Seek and Ye Shall Find Out, which led to
1290. 35:2340 arrests across the county. [music]
1291. 35:25According to local reporting, Hoover was
1292. 35:28released several days later, but
1293. 35:30returned to custody that November.
1294. 35:32The investigation would also lead to
1295. 35:34federal charges.
1296. 35:36On December 4th, [music]
1297. 35:372025, prosecutors announced that a
1298. 35:40federal indictment against Hoover had
1299. 35:43been unsealed.
1300. 35:44The charge involved [music] attempting
1301. 35:46to send inappropriate material to
1302. 35:48someone he believed was underage, and it
1303. 35:50carried a possible sentence [music] of
1304. 35:52up to 10 years in prison.
1305. 35:55On January 7th, 2026, Hoover pleaded
1306. 35:59guilty to that charge.
1307. 36:01Just over 3 months later, [music] on
1308. 36:03April 27th, U.S. District Judge Thomas
1309. 36:06P. Barber sentenced him to 3 years and
1310. 36:0810 months [music] in federal prison.
1311. 36:11The available records don't confirm
1312. 36:13Hoover's current prison facility or
1313. 36:15projected release date.
1314. 36:17The investigation was conducted by the
1315. 36:19Marion County Sheriff's [music] Office
1316. 36:21and Homeland Security Investigations.
1317. 36:24Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janet
1318. 36:26Schwartzberg handled [music] the federal
1319. 36:28prosecution as part of the Justice
1320. 36:30Department's Project Safe Childhood
1321. 36:32initiative.
1322. 36:34If you found this video informative,
1323. 36:36please consider leaving a like and
1324. 36:38subscribing to the channel as it really
1325. 36:40[music] helps support our work and
1326. 36:41allows us to continue covering important
1327. 36:43cases like this one. Thank you.