A Darknet user from the OC was captured after purchasing images of underage children. In a continued crackdown against those using the darknet to collect child abuse content, this case marks the further success of cybercrime units. Justice will be served in due time for this pedophile, but let’s break down what’s happened so far.
YMCA Employee And Teacher
A former Orange County Public Schools teacher and YMCA part-time employee was arrested for two counts of possession of materials depicting child pornography on his cell phone, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) officers a a 22-year-old man, who is a former employee of Orange County Public Schools and a part-time employee at YMCA Florida Center, has been arrested and taken into custody after officers discovered materials depicting child pornography on his cell phone.
Ryan Hamil, a former school teacher at Water Spring Middle School, was fired on August 25th 2023 after the school was made aware of the investigation. Hamil’s contract of employment was terminated by the district, following the investigation and allegations made by FDLE. Later that day, the district sent out a message to notify parents of the incident.
Hamil had worked at the school for the school for two years already, and no teachers or students have come forward indicating a concern over the middle-school teacher’s character prior to his arrest. According to his LinkedIn profile, he was employed with the Orange County Public Schools since January 2021.
After a lengthy and successful investigation Hamil was arrested by FDLE officers and charged on two counts of possession of materials depicting child pornography. Since his arrest, he has remained in jail under a $ 2,000 bond.
Investigation That Led to His Arrest
The Darknet has some great use cases and is essential for our privacy. However, we can’t deny this opens up doors to some disgusting websites. Child pornography has been at the forefront of issues with the darknet since its beginning. Just earlier this year, one of the largest CP websites were seized. Governments have placed a target on those running the site, creating the content, and those purchasing content. As is the case with Hamil.
On July 9, Hamil was first stopped by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers after returning from a cruise ship to Miami. During an interview with CBP officers, Hamil admitted that he had purchased child sex abuse material off the dark web, and had taken images of children on the cruise ship.
He subsequently also admitted to taking photos at the Roper YMCA Family Center, where he worked part-time. While no charges were laid against him at the time and he was released this sparked an investigation into individual.
Following the investigation into the matter, Roper YMCA was alerted by authorities of the nature of the investigation against Hamil. In August 2023, Hamil was fired from his part-time employee position at YMCA.
Daniel Saginario, Chief Missions and Brand Advancement Manger YMCA, spoke on the Hamil incident and stated
He was immediately terminated as a part-time employee in August upon learning from law enforcement of their ongoing investigation as the Y takes these allegations seriously
Daniel Saginario, Chief Missions and Brand Advancement Manger YMCA
A few weeks later, The Department of Homeland Security Investigations requested that FDLE investigators get involved in the ongoing investigation when details of Hamil’s full-time position as a middle school teacher surfaced.
On August 25th, FDLE officers arrived at Water Spring Middle School to meet with the principal. Investigative officers and school officials spoke with Hamil during an interview conducted on the school premises.
Hamil was questioned whether he had taken photos of students at the school, to which he denied. FDLE officers conducted a search of Hamil’s phone at the interview. Hamil was subsequently fired from his position at Water Spring Middle School, following the ongoing investigation by law enforcement.
Water Spring Middle School released a message to parents on the same day, stating that
School administration was notified by law enforcement of an ongoing investigation involving one of our employees. Based on the severity of the allegations, the District Office of Professional Standards immediately terminated the employee, who will no longer be on our campus.”
Speaking on the incident, principal Brian Sanchez Corona stated that, “Although I cannot discuss employee matters, please be assured I take all allegations very seriously and we will work closely with investigators.”
He further reiterated that, “Law enforcement may reach out to families in order to obtain statements from students.”
How Hamil Was Arrested
On August 28th, three days after FDLE officers obtained a search warrant to search Hamil’s cell phone. Upon the executed search, officers found two images of a juvenile female approximately 12 years old.
Hamil was later arrested on Friday September 29th, for two counts of possession of material depicting the sexual performance of a child (Child pornography). Later that day, Hamil was booked into jail on a $2000 bond, where he currently remains in custody.
Following Hamil’s arrest, the YMCA Florida Center released a statement saying,
There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of all in our care. We are saddened to learn of the arrest involving a former Water Spring Middle School teacher who is also a former part-time Y employee. The individual in question is restricted from all access to Y programs and locations. We will cooperate fully with authorities during their investigation. As a cause-driven community builder serving Central Florida families for over 135 years, the YMCA remains steadfast in our commitment to provide a healthy and safe environment”.
Hey there, I’m a dark web geek who’s been around for the last 8 years. More precisely, I’m livedarknet’s senior content writer who’s been writing about darknet marketplaces, tutorials, and cybersecurity stuff for educational purposes.