The case against former Island Grill employee and Bradenton resident Owen Hagan is widening.
Hagan, 28, is facing 26 second-degree felony charges for possession of child pornography and a third-degree felony charge for soliciting a custodian of a child for unlawful sexual conduct using electronic devices.
Manatee County sheriff’s deputies arrested Hagan June 28, 2021, following a four-month investigation into suspicious activity on his personal computer.
The investigation began in February 2021, when DropBox Inc. reported suspicious computer uploads to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline, which provided the tip to the MCSO.
MCSO detectives used an IP address associated with the DropBox user to subpoena the suspect’s internet and email providers for more information, which helped them identify Hagan as the user.
Law enforcement contacted Hagan March 17, 2021, at his mother’s home, where he was living, and confiscated his cellphone for analysis.
A digital forensics program, Cellebrite Reader, found Hagan had accessed DropBox at several points, matching the reported uploads, multiple internet searches for child pornography and visits to 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.
Meanwhile, Hagan’s then-employer, Perico resident and Island Grill owner Scott St. Blanc, 61, also was investigated for “lewd & lascivious” criminal activity on DropBox that also was reported to the NCMEC.
The Bradenton Police Department served a search warrant July 1, 2021, at St. Blanc’s apartment on Bristol Bay Drive in connection with the investigation.
St. Blanc was found dead the next day, having hanged himself at a pavilion at Perico Preserve, 11700 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 0.4 miles from his home.
MCSO Detective Carmine Luper, named in the BPD report as the head of the St. Blanc-CyberTip investigation, also signed an affidavit for Hagan’s arrest.
Shortly after his arrest, Hagan was charged with 26 counts of child porn possession, which he responded to with a “not guilty” plea and a demand for a jury trial.
Hagan’s witness list was filed May 11 by public defender Larry Eger and includes only one name, MCSO Sgt. Brian Quiles.
Hagan also was charged July 21, 2021, with a third-degree felony for soliciting a custodian of a child for unlawful sexual conduct.
A probable cause affidavit filed for the charge states, “On June 27, 2021, Owen Hagan contacted and communicated with an undercover detective (UC) whom he believed to be a 15-year-old female.”
The PCA includes several text messages between Hagan and the undercover detective, in which Hagan states his name, age and address, as well as his intentions to perform sexual acts with girls as young as 10 years old.
After Hagan was arrested, police confirmed the phone in his possession, which he later stated was his, was the one sending the messages.
Hagan remained in custody at the Manatee County jail under a $650,000 bond as of Aug. 5.
If convicted, potential sentences for second-degree felonies include up to 15 years of prison, 15 years of probation and a $10,000 fine for each charge.
Punishments for a third-degree felony include up to five years in prison, five years of probation and a $5,000 fine.
A case management hearing will be at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.