October 3, 2005
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

EDGEWATER MAN CHARGED WITH 10 COUNTS OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY 

An Edgewater man is being held on $1.2 million bond after being charged with numerous counts of child pornography. The arrest came after the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office’s Computer Crimes Unit raided the defendant’s home last month and seized approximately 1,700 pictures along with more than 50 movies depicting sex acts with children from around 12-years-old all the way down to infants. 

Paul Laumer came under investigation after officials learned that he had subscribed to a commercial Internet site devoted to child pornography. Authorities in New York shut down the web site and have been working with law enforcement around the country to identify and investigate subscribers. Volusia County Sheriff’s investigator Andy Cotton picked up the investigation of Laumer, obtained a search warrant and on Sept. 28 raided the suspect’s home at 225 Los Demas. During the search, Cotton seized four computers and boxes of pictures, computer disks and CDs. Examination of the property seized from the home revealed nearly 1,700 images of child pornography and 52 sexually graphic movies with titles such as “Pedoland Baby J” and “Real Child Rape.” In some of the movies, the children appeared to be no more than 2- or 3-years-old. 

Based on the results of Cotton’s investigation, Circuit Court Judge Joseph Will issued arrest warrants charging the 42-year-old Laumer with 10 counts of possession of sexual performance by a child. Each count carries a $100,000 bond, for a total bond of $1 million. Laumer, who’s on probation for prior drug convictions, also was charged with two probation violations, which increased his bond to $1.2 million. Laumer was arrested Saturday afternoon and taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach. The investigation and examination of the seized materials is ongoing.