Florida Man Blamed Child Porn Downloads On His 80-Year-Old Dad

SARASOTA, FL — A jury didn't buy a Florida man's defense that his 80-year-old dad must have downloaded the child pornography police found on his computer.

Fifty-seven-year-old William Brian Slider of Venice, Florida will be sentenced on Feb. 20 after being convicted last week of 79 counts of possession of child pornography, according to State Attorney Ed Brodsky's office.

"Slider testified that his father, who was visiting from Pennsylvania, must have downloaded all the child pornography," prosecutors explained. "However, the jury heard from a digital forensic expert how Slider viewed one of the files of child pornography at 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after setting a personal medical appointment."

Prosecutors said Slider also logged into his bank account around the time the child pornography was viewed. Circuit Court Judge Charles Roberts presided over the four-day trial, which ended Friday.

"It's unfortunate that Slider decided to blame his 80-year-old father for these awful crimes," Assistant State Attorney Ryan Felix said following the verdict. "I am glad that the jury saw through it rather easily."

Slider, who has lived in Venice for more than 20 years, was arrested in June after agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement tracked a computer IP address back to him.

"After executing a search warrant at Slider's home, law enforcement discovered a laptop in the living room which contained 79 video files of child pornography," prosecutors said. "Many of the videos depicted sexual battery being committed on young children."

Prosecutors also said the jury was shown phone records during the trial that confirmed Slider's father was back home in Pennsylvania when the child pornography was downloaded.