OKEECHOBEE — On Nov. 24, a local man was charged with six counts of possession of photos of a child performing sex acts, and a week later, an additional 523 charges of possession of child pornography (enhanced) were added. According to the arrest report, the enhanced charges are due to the suspect possessing more than 10 child porn images, with at least one involving a child under the age of 5, sexual battery involving a child, and/or at least one being a movie (GIF). Each of the 523 violations of possession of child pornography were enhanced to a second-degree felony.

According to the Highlands County arrest report, many of the photos involved men and/or women committing sexual acts with toddlers.

Although 59-year-old Mark Blair Graham lives in Okeechobee, his Kissimmee River Estates address places him in Highlands County, and under the jurisdiction of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.

This investigation began in December 2019 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip regarding child pornography and, after tracing it to this area, forwarded it to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. In October 2020, a second tip from NCMEC was received as well. The information from these tips led them to Graham, and he was arrested. Graham reportedly admitted to viewing child porn at least once a week. Bond was set at $553,000.