FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A Broward County man was arrested Monday on accusations that he possessed numerous child pornography files.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the Broward Sheriff's Office was informed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in May that a Gmail user, identified as Jonathan Tubbergen, 22, was discussing child molestation in a chat.
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Detectives investigated the claims over several months.
During one chat, Tubbergen asked a user if he knew any young girls, the affidavit stated.
Authorities said the user asked Tubbergen "How young?" and Tubbergen replied, "11."
Detectives said the user then told Tubbergen that he was reporting him for pedophilia and that he was a "bad guy."
According to the affidavit, a detective tried to make contact with Tubbergen at his father's home in Fort Lauderdale, but was told the young man no longer lived there and was at his mother's home in Pompano Beach.
The detective followed Tubbergen's father to the mother’s home, where he spoke with the suspect and his parents.
Authorities said Tubbergen asked the detective to speak to him privately because it was embarrassing and admitted to having a few videos of children having sex. When the detective pressed for a more definite amount, Tubbergen said he had about 100 such videos, the affidavit stated.
Tubbergen admitted to having a problem and to masturbating to child pornography since he was 19, authorities said.
Authorities said Tubbergen and his parents agreed to turn over the cellphone in question to the detective for further investigation.
Child pornography photos and video were discovered on the phone, detectives said.
Tubbergen was arrested Monday on numerous counts of possession of child pornography and one count of using a computer to compile child pornography.
He appeared in court Tuesday, where he was ordered to be held in lieu of a $25,000 bond. If he posts bail, he will not be allowed to use the internet and will be outfitted with a GPS ankle monitor.
Tubbergen's parents were also in court and told the judge that their son is mentally disabled and has the mental capacity of a child.