Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
Charles Eric Love, a 56-year-old resident of Tallahassee, Florida, has pleaded guilty in federal court to transporting child pornography through interstate commerce. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners who tracked down this disgusting criminal so my office could bring him to justice on behalf of the innocent children who were exploited and sexually abused in the thousand of image and videos of child sexual abuse material that he possessed. These crimes are truly abhorrent and my office will continue to prosecute the predators like this defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents, detectives from the Tallahassee Police Department received seven cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on March 19, 2025. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Love’s Dropbox account on March 28, 2025. On April 4, 2025, search warrants were executed at his apartment, house, and office, resulting in the seizure of multiple electronic devices. Forensic analysis revealed more than 1,000 images and video files containing child pornography.
Love is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and could serve up to twenty years. Upon release, he will be subject to lifetime supervision.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Tallahassee Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online by coordinating federal, state, and local resources. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of ninety-four offices serving as principal litigators under direction from the Attorney General. Public court documents are available online through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. Additional details about this office can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
