OCALA, Fla. — A middle school employee has been arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of child sex abuse material.
Mitchell Regan, 36, of Leesburg, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando executed a search warrant at Regan’s residence Oct. 17. During a search of Regan’s cellphone, an HSI computer forensic agent located an image of child sex abuse material in his photo gallery. Regan admitted to agents that he had sent and received child sex abuse material using an online social media application. Regan also advised law enforcement that he is currently employed at a middle school and the Boys and Girls Club and that he teaches chess club and music lessons.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is investigated by HSI Orlando and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
To report any information about human trafficking, child sexual abuse, or the trafficking in child sexual abuse material, contact the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or report it through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website.