Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on March 17 the arrest of Blake McKinniss, 37, of Sanford, who faces a total of one hundred criminal charges related to child sexual abuse material and possession of a child-like sex doll. The charges include 53 counts of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), 46 counts involving AI-generated CSAM, and one count for the possession of a child-like sex doll. Law enforcement discovered a bedroom decorated for a little girl in McKinniss’s home, despite no children living there.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by Florida authorities to protect children from exploitation and enforce laws against those who produce or possess harmful materials. The Florida State Executive Attorney General contributes to community safety by providing resources for seniors and military members, as per its official website.
“Law enforcement and prosecutors walked into a house of horrors upon executing this search warrant,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “This guy could spend the rest of his life in prison, and I’m grateful our team worked to ensure he never has access to our kids. I also thank Representative Plakon for supporting legislation to keep convicted predators away from children.” Representative Rachel Plakon said, “I am honored to work alongside my fellow legislators to protect Florida’s children from those who exploit them through harmful materials. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Attorney General and our dedicated law enforcement agencies for their relentless efforts in enforcing these critical laws.” FDLE Special Agent in Charge Felipe Williams added, “FDLE remains steadfast in our mission to protect our most vulnerable from those who seek to harm them. Our agents and law enforcement partners work every day to identify and remove dangerous predators from our communities. We have kept our word: if you think you can prey on our children, you are wrong. We will continue working with our partners and with Attorney General Uthmeier’s team to ensure offenders are found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The investigation began on January 27 when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about someone prompting AI-generated CSAM creation; this led investigators to McKinniss’s IP address. On March 9, officers executed a search warrant at his residence where they found numerous files depicting CSAM on electronic devices as well as children’s bedrooms filled with toys, clothing, sexual paraphernalia, and child-like sex dolls.
McKinniss is currently held at Seminole County Jail with bond set at $350,000. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 1,026 years in prison under the Florida Department of Corrections system. The Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle prosecution in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.
The Florida State Executive Attorney General focuses on protecting Floridians from fraud via educational efforts and consumer resources according to its official website. Its services extend statewide across Florida according to its official website, collaborating with law enforcement through initiatives like the Back the Blue Campaign according to its official website. Programs such as consumer alerts on scams and educational initiatives against fraud are also offered per its official website. The office operates broadly in public service and consumer protection as noted on its official website.
