100K Bond For Man Accused Of Possessing Child Porn At Work
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - A Sunrise businessman has been arrested on 50 counts of possessing child pornography.
Stephen Saftler, 62, was taken into custody Wednesday after authorities seized a computer from his company located at 10171 NW 53rd Street in Sunrise
The company, ESMO, is a medical equipment repair establishment that Saftler has owned for more than a dozen years.
An Internet Children's Task Force noticed child porn images were being sent through a computer at ESMO.
There, investigators say, they found hundreds of pictures and 20 videos of child porn on Saftler's work computer.
CBS4 News spoke to a man at the business who said he has known Saftler 22 years and found the charges to be unbelievable. He says the whole thing "may have been blown out of proportion."
Saftler faced a bond court judge Thursday morning where his attorney, Fred Robbins, presented the picture of a model citizen.
"Mr. Saftler has an exemplary record. He's lived here 27 years and he has kids and grandkids. He served in the Air Force with an honorable discharge. His ex-wife Linda is here to support him so I don't think he is a flight risk," argued Robbins.
The judge reduced Saftler's bond from $500,000 to $100,000 and ordered Saftler to stay away from children when he gets out of jail.