Like roaches in dark corners, child predators are multiplying at an alarming rate across Central Florida. Fighting back against this trend is the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office’s five-person Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit, dedicated to confronting some of the most horrific abuses imaginable.
The team includes three detectives, a digital forensic investigator and a civilian crime analyst who handles suspect research, background checks and SWAT support. The unit conducts both reactive and proactive investigations—responding to tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), while also conducting undercover stings in which detectives pose as minors online to catch predators in the act.
Abuse tips skyrocketing
Osceola serves as the point agency for 17 Florida counties, acting as a clearinghouse for cyber tips routed from NCMEC. Sgt. Kyle Glynn, who leads Osceola’s ICAC unit, said the region handled 4,000 to 5,000 cyber tips in 2021. This year that number is expected to skyrocket to about 30,000, with several contributing factors—easy access to the internet and the explosion of new social media platforms among them.
“Population growth. Florida’s a very popular area. So, obviously, the more people, the more crime,” he said. “Back in the day, everybody used to be scared of the guy in the white van that hung around the park. That guy now is online posing as a minor or is just a fake account. And the minor thinks they’re talking to somebody that they know.”
Cyber tips start with internet service providers and tech companies such as Meta, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp, which are required by federal law to report suspected child exploitation. NCMEC then forwards tips to the appropriate ICAC task force around the country. Glynn says his unit prioritizes cases in which suspects have direct access to children.
“Everybody thinks these guys are overseas, but they’re here in our back yard as well,” Glynn said.
The ICAC unit receives federal funding through the Protect Our Children Act and will soon gain a share of $3 million in new state funds for Florida’s three ICAC task forces. Glynn hopes to use the money to expand staffing and create a dedicated outreach role to work in schools, churches and other community groups to educate the public on how to protect children.
Worst of the worst— Parents must be vigilant
To catch the worst offenders, detectives must sift through highly disturbing material involving victims as young as infants. Before joining ICAC, every detective is exposed to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to gauge whether they can handle the emotional strain.
“I can recall the first time I saw a baby being sexually exploited,” said Glynn. “Those are things you’ll never forget.”
Many images investigators encounter are not new; once on the internet, CSAM can circulate for years, long after victims grow up. This type of material, where victims are not currently being abused, is given a “hash value” for investigative purposes.
“It’s very similar to DNA; it’s been seen before. This is not new content,” Glynn said. “Predators use social media to gather intimate details about their targets. They know what you’re into. They know what school you go to. They know all the information about you.”
He urges parents to supervise online activity as closely as they would watch their child in a park, recommending tools like the Bark app to monitor and block harmful content.
“Be aware of who your kids are associating with. Unfortunately, some people let their kids go out to the world and kind of figure it out.”
The unit also uncovers “local production” cases in which offenders abuse children in their own homes or social circles—often people the family knows and trusts. A growing threat is “sextortion,” targeting boys ages 13-17. Offenders, often overseas, pose as young women to coax nude images from victims, then threaten to share them online unless paid.
“Unfortunately, around the nation, there’s been some juveniles who have taken their lives because of this,” Glynn said.
Many of these cases trace back to countries like Nigeria or the Ivory Coast, where police cooperation is slow.
“The police force in those countries is not near as good as we have here in the United States. It takes a very long time [to make a case].”
Understanding offender behavior Over his career, Glynn has heard many explanations from offenders on why they engage in deviant behavior. It’s thought that abused children grow up to be predators themselves, but Glynn said that’s not necessarily true.
“I’ve heard from people who have been abused who say that’s absolutely not an excuse. ‘I went through that trauma. There’s no way I’d want to put somebody else through that trauma,’” he said. “I’ve heard the other side that, ‘Hey, I was abused, so this is why I’m doing it.’
“I feel like you’re born and that’s your sexual preference. I just think people are attracted to children. I don’t think there’s any way you’re ever going to rewire them.”
Dr. Michael Bourke, a forensic psychologist who has evaluated more than 1,000 sex offenders, has published reports that noted child predators are often driven by deeply ingrained psychological factors— including pedophilic attraction, antisocial traits, and a sense of entitlement or sadism—that are difficult, if not impossible, to change.
Bourke notes that most offenders were not themselves abused and often come from ordinary backgrounds, making them hard to detect, and believes protecting children requires a combination of punishment, targeted treatment, and proactive vigilance from parents and communities. He promotes open communication with children and strong supervision to minimize predator threats.
Glynn implores anyone struggling with such urges to seek help.
“If this is your preference and this is what you’re into, you need to go seek help. Go to counseling, start going to church, go to therapy, go to people that you trust.”
See something, say something
Because the work is so traumatic, the Sheriff’s Office requires each unit member to meet annually with a mental health professional. Glynn also ensures no one works on abuse material during the final hour of the day, giving them time to decompress before heading home.
“It obviously can affect people,” said Glynn. “That’s my role, to keep a close eye. We kind of act as a family.”
Despite the overwhelming caseload, Glynn says the work is far from hopeless.
“Even if you save one child from being abused, that’s worth it,” he said. “That’s the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Anyone who suspects child exploitation should contact the Osceola County Sheriff ’s Office or file a report at NCMEC’s CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org. Reports can be made anonymously.
For online safety tips for children, teens and parents, and further resources, go to: www.osceolasheriff.org/online-safety-tips-for-children-teens-and-parents/
“We’re here for the public,” Glynn stressed. “That’s who we’re here to serve. And if there’s anything that we can do to help them or they have any concerns, they can always give us a call.”
