Radiologic technologist arrested and charged with distributing child pornography
A Florida radiologic technologist has been arrested and charged with distributing child pornography, the Department of Justice announced Friday.
George Thomas Griffiths Jr., 41, of Ponte Vedra Beach, faces a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison, officials said.
According to a criminal complaint, Griffiths allegedly uploaded several graphic videos onto a social media app last year. At the same time, an FBI officer in Wisconsin was conducting an undercover investigation using the same app, and authorities later traced the uploads to Griffiths’ home and place of employment in Jacksonville, Florida, where he worked as an x-ray and CT tech.
Detectives raided his residence in November and seized the suspect’s smartphone, allegedly discovering at least 2,000 images and 10 videos depicting sexual abuse of children. The Florida man said at the time it was “possible” he may have exchanged such content, according to a DOJ press release.
Authorities arrested Griffiths on Feb. 10, with an initial hearing held Friday and trial slated for April. He previously worked at a Crucial Care emergency medicine clinic in Jacksonville that provides imaging services, according to the complaint. The company immediately suspended and later fired Griffiths upon hearing news of the investigation, one local news outlet reported.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.