Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that a 21-year-old Cudjoe Key man has been arrested and charged in an investigation involving child sexual abuse material and animal sexual abuse material.
Jacob Rookey faces multiple charges, including promotion, possession, and transmission of child sexual abuse material, solicitation of child sexual abuse material, generating altered sexual images, generating child sexual abuse material, and promotion of animal sexual abuse material.
“Trading in material that involves the sexual exploitation of children and animals is what keeps the sick market for this material alive,” Uthmeier said. “We will seek the maximum punishment under the law for predators who perpetuate this abusive trade.”
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the investigation began after the Broward County Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip alleged that Rookey was possessing, viewing and transmitting child sexual abuse material through Snapchat.
Investigators said the Broward County Sheriff’s Office identified Rookey through his IP address and determined that the case fell under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Florida Keys region.
FDLE later obtained subpoenas and search warrants that authorities said uncovered communications involving the buying and selling of child sexual abuse material and animal sexual abuse material. Investigators also said Rookey solicited minors to send child sexual abuse material and posed as an underage girl in many of the communications.
Rookey was arrested following the investigation. If convicted as charged, he faces up to 100 years in the Florida Department of Corrections.
The Attorney General’s Office said the investigation remains ongoing and that additional charges may be filed.
Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Jillian Tate will prosecute the case in Florida’s Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.
Earlier this year, Rookey received the People’s Pride Award after he performed CPR on a man experiencing a medical emergency at Wyland Galleries, where he was an employee.
