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A Florida father and son are in custody at the Putnam County Jail following an early morning search warrant on July 9 that led to multiple child exploitation and probation violation charges.
Detectives executed the search warrant around 5 a.m. at a Crescent City residence shared by registered sex predator Gary Coston, 49, and his son, Dillan Coston, 27.
The investigation began after law enforcement received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child abuse material viewed on a computer linked to Dillan Coston.
Gary Coston was not at the residence when detectives arrived, which violated the terms of his probation. He arrived at the home while investigators were still on the scene. During the search, detectives discovered Gary Coston maintained a social media account that he had not reported in his Florida Department of Law Enforcement sexual predator registry packet.
Gary Coston’s initial sexual predator status stems from a 2005 Clay County case involving attempted capital sexual battery. He was booked into the Putnam County Jail on charges of probation violation and failure to report email addresses or internet identifiers. He is currently being held without bond.
Inside the home, detectives located Dillan Coston and seized his cellphone. On July 14, a forensic download of the device revealed hundreds of files depicting children ranging from infants to near-adults in nude or explicit sexual acts.
Investigators also found an interactive AI discussion on the phone where Dillan Coston asked how individuals caught by television host Chris Hansen could be charged with a crime when a minor was not physically present.
Dillan Coston was initially arrested on July 9 and charged with possession of a sexual performance by a child and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony. Law enforcement filed 10 additional counts of possession of 10 or more child pornography images against him on July 17. He remains held at the Putnam County Jail on a $305,000 bond.
READ: Florida Mom Arrested: Doctors Save Starving Baby’s Life Just Hours Before Total Organ Failure
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Florida Father-Son Duo Cuffed In Shocking Child Exploitation And Probation Bust
