An 80-year-old St. Cloud man, James Cox, who was previously known in his neighborhood for dressing as Santa Claus, has entered a guilty plea on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. Cox's admission of guilt arrived amid startling revelations that investigators discovered hundreds of illicit images and videos on his devices, including depictions of brutal abuse involving infants and toddlers, as reported by WESH.
Back in March, federal agents conducted a raid at his residence on Countryside View Drive, a raid that also targeted Cox's son, Henry, who authorities found had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as they closed in, and has been linked to producing the unearthed images Cox pleaded guilty after striking a deal with prosecutors, with a sentence that could see him imprisoned for a minimum of five years to a maximum of 40 years, according to court statements.
Details from ClickOrlando indicate that a tip concerning online child pornography uploads traced back to Cox initiated the investigation back in November 2023, which led to authorities executing a search warrant in January, during which they found not just copious objectionable material on Cox's devices but also evidence of imagery depicting children in his home and public restrooms.
