The deputy city manager of North Miami Beach was arrested Wednesday on charges of possessing child pornography, police said.
David Eugene Scott, 63, faces 15 counts of sexual performance by a child/possession, Miami Police announced.
“Our Special Victims Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit conducted an investigation that has led to the arrest of an individual who happens to sit at the highest level of a local municipal government," said Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales. "This is highly disappointing, especially given their role of trust and the fact that the victims are children—one of our most vulnerable populations. We are proud of our partnership with the State Attorney’s Office Cybercrimes Unit in solving this case.”
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Investigators said Scott had uploaded 31 images and videos of child sex abuse material and attempted to buy 6,000 videos and pictures of children online through various social media platforms.
Detectives from several agencies executed a search warrant at Scott's residence, where they seized his electronic devices.
Investigators found several files of child pornography on Scott's cellphone, police said.
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Scott started with the city's public works department in July 2022 and was promoted to deputy city manager a year later. City Manager Mario Diaz terminated Scott's employment following the arrest, North Miami Beach confirmed.
“I am shocked and disappointed to learn that a senior governmental official would be charged with the possession of child pornography,” State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement. “As State Attorney, I know that our law enforcement community and my prosecutors are committed to ensuring that no child suffers the denigration, exploitation and abuse at the core of every child pornography arrest. Child pornography is always a crime centered on exploiting the innocence of our children.”
