Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Investigative Operations Bureau
-Crimes Against Children (CAC) Unit
-Digital Forensics Unit

Joseph Machard Watkins (Suspect- Arrested)
DOB: 3/2/1992
Address: 3706 East Ellicott Street, Tampa
Charges: 10 Counts of Possession of Child Pornography

PINELLAS COUNTY- Detectives assigned to the Crimes Against Children (CAC) Unit have arrested a Tampa man for multiple counts of possession of child pornography.

On June 15, 2022, detectives arrested 31-year-old Joseph Watkins for Sexual Battery and Transmission of Material Harmful to a Minor. Watkins was booked into the Pinellas County Jail, and later bonded out on August 5, 2022. Detectives continued their investigation over the course of several months and through various investigative techniques, located several files of child pornography on his cellphone. Detectives say the images were of children between the ages of five and twelve years old.

On March 15, 2023, detectives arrested Watkins at the Pinellas County Justice Center before a pre-trial hearing for the original charge. When Watkins was interviewed by detectives, he denied knowledge of the files.

Watkins was arrested and charged with 10 counts of child pornography. He was transported to the Pinellas County Jail.

The investigation continues.