Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gerald Roy Morris, 71, was arrested yesterday for 18 charges related to child pornography.

On November 9, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip concerning a child exploitation image that had been uploaded to Bing’s reverse image search tool. The image depicted a nude male child, estimated to be 6-8 years old, with an older teenage girl, also unclothed, engaging with him sexually.

By February 7, Cox Communications had replied to a subpoena from the Gainesville Police Department related to the subscriber of the IP address involved in the upload. The investigation revealed the account belonged to Morris, residing outside city limits; consequently, the case was directed to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO).

On June 11, ASO conducted a search at Morris’s location in Jonesville. After receiving Miranda rights, Morris acknowledged knowing about Bing’s reverse image search tool but denied using it. He was asked about any visitors on the date of the image upload, and Morris stated that there were none, asserting that neighbors would not access his internet. He denied holding any child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

On June 23, ASO detectives reported uncovering 50,510 CSAM files on a computer used by Morris, which included 384 videos. These files largely portrayed young girls, from infants up to the age of 10, with content reportedly featuring “every level of enhancement” per Florida statutes, including instances of sexual activity forced on very young children. It was noted that Morris viewed some of these materials the day before the search, including a video of an adult male with a nude toddler.

A pack of 19 “blank” discs found on Morris’s desk also reportedly contained CSAM — a total of 9,240 files, making a total of 59,750 CSAM files.

A warrant was issued by Judge James Colaw on July 24, and Morris surrendered at the Alachua County Jail on July 28.

Morris faces charges including transmitting child pornography once and possessing child pornography seventeen times. Bail was established at $1.8 million by Judge Meshon Rawls, following the warrant set by Judge Colaw. Morris’s lawyer has petitioned to lower the bail, citing Morris’s status as a retired General Contractor with health concerns and financial limitations. The lawyer assured that if released, Morris would reside at his long-term home in Jonesville and attend all court proceedings.

Articles concerning arrests rely on reports provided by law enforcement agencies. The charges mentioned originate from arrest reports and/or court documents and are solely allegations. Every suspect is considered innocent until proven guilty in a legal setting.