Prosecutors are throwing the book at former Island Grill employee Owen Hagan.
Assistant State Attorney Casey Cahall filed a document July 16 with the Manatee County Clerk of Court charging Hagan, 27, of Bradenton, with 26 third-degree felony counts for allegedly possessing child pornography.
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Hagan June 28 in Palmetto following an investigation that began Feb. 4, when DropBox Inc. reported suspicious computer uploads to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.
The NCMEC’s CyberTipline — which forwards suspected online crimes against children to law enforcement agencies — reported the tip to the MCSO.
The first CyberTip reported that a DropBox Inc. client with a username of “Owen Hagan” uploaded four video files containing child pornography between Dec. 20, 2020, and Feb. 4, 2021, according to an affidavit in support of Hagan’s arrest warrant.
The MCSO received a second CyberTip Feb. 15, also originating from DropBox Inc., indicating the same user uploaded 11 files — 10 of which police said contained child pornography — in the days following the first report.
Detectives used an IP address associated with the DropBox Inc. user to subpoena the individual’s internet and email providers for more information, which helped them identify Hagan as the user.
Police contacted Hagan March 17 at his mother’s home, where he was living, and confiscated his phone for forensic analysis.
A digital forensics program, Cellebrite Reader, found Hagan had accessed DropBox Inc. at several points matching the reported uploads, searched the internet multiple times for child pornography and visited websites known to contain the material.
The program reportedly recovered 11 images and 15 videos from Hagan’s phone that authorities claim include depictions of sexual conduct by a child.
Hagan was booked into the Manatee County jail the same day as his arrest and remained there under a $650,000 bond as of July 23.
On behalf of Hagan, assistant public defender Allanah McClintock July 7 filed a not guilty plea to all charges and demanded a jury trial.
Potential sentences for third-degree felonies include up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine and five years probation.
The SAO’s charges and Hagan’s plea were read into the record during a July 23 arraignment under 12th District Judge Frederick Mercurio.
Another court hearing in the case had yet to be scheduled as of July 23.