Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alex Dixon Boatwright, 34, was arrested yesterday on 22 child pornography charges.
On November 5, 2024, Google sent a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, revealing 60 videos and two images identified as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). These materials were uploaded to the account of “Alex Boatwright” from June 2021 to October 2024 and remained stored on the account’s Google Drive at the time the CyberTip was issued. Google provided details including eight upload IP addresses, the birth date associated with the account’s creation, the account-connected phone number, two email addresses, and multiple login IP addresses. The Gainesville Police Department took charge of investigating the CyberTip.
Cox, through a subpoena, identified a physical address linked to the eight upload IPs, which was a relative’s house of Boatwright in Gainesville. Verizon, when subpoenaed, traced the phone number to a Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G device. Microsoft, via subpoena, provided details from one of the email addresses linking it to Alex Boatwright, including a birthdate with swapped month and day, matching the billing address given by Cox.
A subpoena to Google revealed Alex Boatwright’s name and the phone number noted in the CyberTip, along with a birthdate featuring the same month and day but a different year. Google confirmed the use of a Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G for account access. The account content included over 500 images/videos of Boatwright, such as photos of his genitals, registered vehicle, Florida driver’s license, and COVID vaccination card. Google also mentioned at least 20 additional CSAM images/videos not previously flagged, including one with a pubescent female juvenile involved in sexual activity with a dog.
On August 27, a search warrant was executed at the address linked by Cox where Boatwright was found along with his family members living there.
Under Miranda warning, Boatwright reportedly acknowledged his phone number and stated he had used a Galaxy S21 Ultra since March, while a Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G was also reportedly found in his room.
Boatwright indicated he understood the police’s purpose and mentioned “what it was related to,… a former email that got locked out.” He claimed, “no interest in this, like, what the category, what it was saying, I was, like, no, not me, type of thing.”
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G phone reportedly matched the IMEI provided by Verizon, and the phone was logged into the email account provided in the CyberTip.
A relative at the house reportedly said Boatwright had accidentally downloaded the material while looking at other pornography.
Boatwright has been charged with 22 counts of possession of child pornography. The 22 videos mostly show pre-pubescent females being raped by adult males, but four of them show toddlers being raped by adult males. One of the videos reportedly showed a pre-pubescent female that the GPD detective had previously interviewed in an unrelated investigation, and the detective reported that the girl said she was 12 years old when the video was created.
Boatwright has no local criminal history. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $550,000.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
