North Miami Beach deputy city manager faces child sex abuse videos possession charges
MIAMI - David Eugene Scott, the deputy city manager of the City of North Miami Beach, is facing several charges related to the possession of child sexual abuse videos, Miami's Police Department said Wednesday.
Scott, 63, was arrested on 15 counts of sexual performance by a child/possession. Images of boys 2-10 were found on his cellphone, according to the arrest report.
City Manager Mario Diaz terminated Scott's employment after "after receiving and reviewing the arrest report from Miami PD," according to city spokesman Evan Ross.
"Although the city has not been asked to provide any assistance or information, we will fully cooperate with and expedite any requests made of North Miami Beach."
Scott was named to the position last year after serving as director of public works for the city.
He also served in executive roles including economic development/strategy for the City of Boynton Beach, assistant city manager for the City of Delray Beach, assistant county administrator for Pinellas County, commissioner of public works for Atlanta and deputy mayor for operations and director of Public Works for Baltimore.
"David is a visionary leader with over three decades of public sector experience and a demonstrated record of successful innovative strategy implementation and organizational process improvement, overseeing a diverse portfolio of municipal operations with 7,000 employees and $800 million budgets," the city posted on LinkedIn last year.
The Special Victims Unit, through its Internet Crimes Against Children detail, arrested Scott.
After an investigation, Miami detectives had identified Scott as a suspect who had uploaded 31 images and videos of child sexual abuse material and attempted to purchase an additional 6,000 videos and pictures of children online via various social media platforms, police said.
ICAC detectives, with the support of Homeland Security Investigations and local police departments from Miami Beach, Aventura and Miami Gardens along with the State Attorney's Office Cyber Crimes Unit, executed a search warrant at his residence in Miami.
Multiple electronic devices were seized, including his cellphone. Several files containing videos were found on the phone.
Scott was detained, interviewed by detectives, arrested and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
"Our Special Victims Internet Crimes Against Children Unit conducted an investigation that has led to the arrest of an individual who happens to sit at the highest level of a local municipal government," Police Chief Manuel A. Morales said. "This is highly disappointing, especially given their role of trust and the fact that the victims are children—one of our most vulnerable populations. We are proud of our partnership with the State Attorney's Office Cybercrimes Unit in solving this case."
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said: "I am shocked and disappointed to learn that a senior governmental official would be charged with the possession of child pornography. As state attorney, I know that our law enforcement community and my prosecutors are committed to ensuring that no child suffers the denigration, exploitation and abuse at the core of every child pornography arrest. Child pornography is always a crime centered on exploiting the innocence of our children."