High-ranking North Miami Beach official locked up on child porn charges, police say
A high-ranking North Miami Beach official was arrested and fired from his deputy city manager role Wednesday after investigators found he was hoarding child pornography images and videos inside his home and attempting to purchase thousands more, police say.
David Eugene Scott, 63, was jailed Wednesday afternoon and faces 15 counts of possessing material that depicts the sexual performance of a child, according to the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation website.
Following an extensive probe, detectives with Miami police’s Special Victims Internet Crimes Against Children unit identified Scott as a suspect who uploaded 31 images and videos of child sex abuse material and tried to buy 6,000 videos and pictures of children online through various social media platforms.
Detectives worked with Homeland Security and other agencies, including the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, to execute a search warrant at Scott’s home, collecting multiple devices that had child pornography on them.
He was detained, interviewed by detectives and arrested.
“Our Special Victims Internet Crimes Against Children unit conducted an investigation that has led to the arrest of an individual who happens to sit at the highest level of a local municipal government,” Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said. “This is highly disappointing, especially given their role of trust and the fact that the victims are children — one of our most vulnerable populations.”
After reviewing an arrest report from the Miami Police Department, a city spokesperson said North Miami City Manager Mario Diaz terminated Scott’s employment.
“Although the city has not been asked to provide any assistance or information, we will fully cooperate with and expedite any requests made of North Miami Beach,” the city said in a release.
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle also weighed in, noting in a statement: “I am shocked and disappointed to learn that a senior governmental official would be charged with the possession of child pornography. As State Attorney, I know that our law enforcement community and my prosecutors are committed to ensuring that no child suffers the denigration, exploitation and abuse at the core of every child pornography arrest. Child pornography is always a crime centered on exploiting the innocence of our children.”
