PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – The Port St. Lucie Police Department initiated an investigation after PSLPD Detectives assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding an individual uploading child pornography to an online server. Detectives conducted an investigation and identified the suspect as 56-year-old Kenneth Knotts. A review of the digital content uploaded to the online server revealed 5 sexually explicit images of children.
Yesterday evening, PSLPD Detectives arrested Kenneth Knotts without incident at his place of employment. He was employed as a School Bus Driver for St. Lucie Public Schools. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that any local children were victims of Knotts. St. Lucie Public Schools immediately removed Knotts from his duties and he will be recommended for termination.
Knotts was transported to the St. Lucie County Jail and charged with 5 counts of possession of child pornography and 5 counts of transmission of child pornography by electronic device. The Port St. Lucie Police Department SWAT Team executed a search warrant on Knotts’ residence in the 1900-BLK of SW Lennox St and Detectives seized several electronic items. The investigation remains active and ongoing as Detectives forensically analyze the seized items.
If you have any information pertaining to this incident, please contact PSLPD at 772-871-5000 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-8477. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child pornography, please call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 800-843-5678.