GPD makes child exploitation arrest

Press release from Gainesville Police Department

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Division, with the assistance of GPD SWAT, served a search warrant in the Northwood neighborhood. The investigation was prompted after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) provided GPD an investigative lead, known as a Cyber Tip, from X Corp. (formerly known as Twitter). The Cyber Tip revealed that an unknown user account distributed adult pornographic content (two videos and one image) to another user account who stated in the chat that he was 16 years old. The suspect account pretended to be a 13-year-old female during this conversation and stated that the content she distributed was of her 22-year-old sister. The suspect account provided their phone number to continue communicating with the 16-year-old.

Further investigation by Detective Montague, of the Gainesville Police Department, revealed that the suspect account holder was Emily Robinson (W/F, 05-19-2002). Emily Robinson is designated as a Sexual Offender pursuant to a conviction in Alachua County, Gainesville, FL, for Possession of Photo/Picture Showing Sexual Performance by a Child, from December 29, 2022 (Alachua County Court Case 01-2022-CF-000363A). This conviction stemmed from an arrest of Emily Robinson on February 8, 2022, by Detective Montague. Emily Robinson was then released from the Florida Department of Corrections on October 25, 2023.

On July 9, 2024, during a post Miranda interview, Emily Robinson initially only admitted to creating an account on X Corp. to chat with men and degrade them for money. Emily Robinson would eventually admit to the ownership of the suspect account in question and acknowledged all of her conversation with the 16-year-old boy, admitting that the sexually graphic content she sent to him was of herself. Emily Robinson stated that she knew what she did was wrong, believing that he was a minor, and that it was a “moment of weakness.”

Emily Robinson’s Correction Probation Specialist responded to the scene, and based on Detective Montague’s investigation, requested that GPD direct-file charges on Emily Robinson for Violation of Probation.

A preliminary analysis of Emily Robinson’s cellphone revealed a number of social media accounts, email addresses, and a phone number that was not reported and updated with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Sexual Offender/Predator Registry.

Emily Robinson was taken into custody and charged with Violation of Community Control Probation, Sex Offender Failure to Update Info, Sex Offender Failure to Report General Info, Unlawful User of Two Way Communication Device, two counts of Sex Offender Knowingly Providing False Registration Info, and three counts of Transmission of Harmful Material to Minors.

The Gainesville Police Department wants parents to be aware that children are being solicited and exploited through social networking applications. These social networking applications, like Facebook and X Corp., are also used to share images and videos that depict young children being sexually abused. Please be vigilant and aware of any social networking platforms your children may access.

If you have any questions about this incident, please contact GPD Detective Donna Montague at 352-393-7730 or montagueda@cityofgainesville.org . Parents can also find resources at the NCMEC website: https://www.missingkids.org/HOME

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