Tampa Hospital Employee Faces 79 Felony Counts in Child Abuse Case; Life Sentence in Tacoma, Others Arrested Nationwide

Law enforcement agencies across the United States have recently made multiple arrests and issued sentences in cases involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), child molestation, and sexual assault.

In Tampa, Florida, David Scott Farber, a 42-year-old employee at Tampa General Hospital, was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on 79 felony counts related to the possession and distribution of CSAM. Investigators recovered 79 photos and videos of CSAM and allege that Farber took inappropriate photos and videos of himself in operating rooms and patient care areas, which he then distributed via social media. The material involved children under the age of five, and officials said additional charges may be forthcoming.

In Washington, D.C., Devonne Keith Brown, a former school employee, was arrested by the FBI Washington Field Office on CSAM charges. Brown is accused of soliciting CSAM from minors, using payment apps to send money in exchange for illicit material.

Recent Tampa Police Department arrests include Jose Guerrero Jr., charged with 100 counts of possession of child pornography, and Jesse Sharrer, charged with two counts of possession. In Massachusetts, Brandon Bendall was indicted for allegedly possessing and receiving over 9,000 CSAM files.

Other cases include the sentencing of Lamar Thompson in Tacoma, Washington, to life without parole for multiple child molestation charges, and Alan Lewis Meirhofer in Seattle to 15 years in prison for receipt and possession of CSAM. In Arizona, Kyle McCammack faces multiple charges of child molestation and sexual abuse, with a $250,000 bond and an order for no contact with minors. In Illinois, a Champaign man was sentenced to probation for possession of child pornography.

In Massachusetts, Maxwell Newman was sentenced to 28 to 34 years in state prison after convictions on multiple rapes and assaults. In Wareham, Massachusetts, Brandon Bendall was indicted for allegedly possessing and receiving over 9,000 CSAM files. In Tacoma, Thompson also received a federal sentence of 28 years before his state sentence.

Officials, including Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, condemned the crimes, noting the severity of the offenses and the vulnerability of the victims.