St. Augustine man accused of possession of child pornography following cyber tip from Google

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A two-year investigation has led to the arrest of a St. Augustine man.

Kyle Nathan Hurta, 34, was taken into custody Wednesday on a warrant for possessing child pornography. Hurta is currently facing 15 counts of possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

According to the warrant, back in October of 2021, Google sent the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office a cyber tip about Hurta allegedly downloading a video of suspected CSAM. Detectives confirmed the image to be CSAM and obtained a search warrant to seize and search Hurta’s cell phone. The warrant states that when Hurta was questioned about the image, he told investigators that his ex-girlfriend previously placed CSAM on his phone which he also said he deleted.

A forensic search of the phone led to the discovery of 15 videos of children being sexually abused and exploited by adult men, deputies said. The warrant states that the video that prompted the cyber tip was in a folder for “private downloads.”

Hurta was ordered to wear an ankle tracking monitor if he is released from jail. He currently remains locked up on a $300,000 bond.

According to a recent study by the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network or RAINN:

• 56 percent of CSAM cases involve children between the ages of 9 and 12.
• 24 percent of CSAM cases involve children between the ages of 10 and 16.
• The younger the victim, the more severe the abuse
• 84 percent of CSAM contain severe abuse.

According to RAINN, we live in a time when even toddlers know how to use a smartphone, so it’s natural for parents to be unsure of how to monitor their children’s use of technology. There are also steps adults can take to protect themselves:

• Protect your identity. Avoid sharing personally identifying information about yourself and loved ones through social networks and online forums. Doing so can lead to unwanted attention and harassment.
• Report inappropriate images. If you receive or view inappropriate or sexual images through text messages or online, report it to the police or CyberTipline. This can help law enforcement stop a perpetrator in action.
• Use a secure Internet connection. When seeking help online related to a sexual assault, make sure you are using a secure and reputable service.
• Be mindful of privacy settings. Check privacy settings, such as location services and contact information, when using social media. Be aware that making data publicly available means anyone can see it.
• Talk with your kids. Be familiar with online privacy settings and help your child set up social media accounts. Laying the groundwork for open communication can encourage your child to share about any unusual online conversations or activities down the road.