John Luis Venable, 81, of Homosassa, FL charged with 12 counts of child pornography
Photo graphic courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO)
Citrus County, Florida - On January 23, 2025, 81 year-old John Luis Venable was arrested at Homosassa, Florida residence, as the result of a search warrant served by detectives with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) High Tech Crimes Unit (HTCU) and agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), due to evidence of child pornography being accessed online at Venable's residence, according to a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The cyber tip resulted in an investigation that was led by CCSO Detective Ben Wilson with the agency's High Tech Crimes Unit.
During the search of Venable's residence, numerous electronic devices belonging to Venable were seized. A digital forensic examination of these devices, conducted in the CCSO High Tech Crimes Unit laboratory, revealed thousands of images and videos of child pornography.
"In today's digital world, predators are increasingly using the internet to access and share child pornography," said Detective Ben Wilson. "Offenders like Venable are everywhere online, and it is the job of the CCSO's High Tech Crimes Unit to shine a light into the dark corners where they lurk. The highly trained detectives in our unit utilize the most current technology to track offenders, protect children, and ensure the safety of our community."
On January 29, 2025, Venable was arrested on a warrant for 12 counts of possession of child pornography. He is currently being held at the Citrus County Detention Facility in Lecanto, Florida on a $900,000 bond, per the Honorable Judge Amber Thomas of Florida's Fifth Judicial Circuit Court.
"Detective Wilson's dedication and hard work in this case led to the identification and arrest of a predator in our community" said Sergeant Tiffany Barry of the CCSO High Tech Crimes Unit. "I am very proud of the hard work of the entire HTCU in this case. We will continue to work with our partners in FDLE and the Fifth Judicial Circuit to locate, arrest, and prosecute offenders like Venable, to keep Citrus County's children safe."
The investigation is ongoing.
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office urges the public to report any suspicions of child pornography or child abuse to its office by phone to (352) 726-1121. To remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a reward, contact Crime Stoppers of Citrus County with your suspicion, by phone at 1-888-ANY-TIPS (888-269-8477) or online at www.CrimeStoppersCitrus.com.