CRIME

HIV-positive Jacksonville man arrested after sex with boy is recorded on cameraphone

Dan Scanlan
dscanlan@jacksonville.com
Jeffrey [courtesy news partner First Coast News]

A 42-year-old man who told investigators he is HIV positive is in jail after images of a man believed to be him having sex with a child were found on Tumblr, a social media network, according to his Jacksonville arrest report.

Columbus Donavan Jeffrey of West 16th Street was arrested late Thursday on three charges of sexual battery of a victim younger than 12, four of producing sexual performance of a child, another four of possession of child pornography and a final count of sexual intercourse without disclosure of HIV, the arrest report said. Jeffrey remains behind bars on $625,000 bail.

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On Aug. 12 and Sept. 23 Tumblr passed on tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which advised the Sheriff's Office after tracking the origin of videos and images to Jeffrey's email account, the report said.

The Sheriff's Office tracked the images to Jeffrey's internet and home address, the report said. Jeffrey denied having any sexual relations with children when interviewed. But a search of his cellphone showed images of a boy who matched those seen in the initial photos, while a carpet in them matched what was in his home.

Another investigator interviewed the boy, who confirmed he spends time at the suspect's home while his mother goes to work, the report said. He said he had "some sort of sexual interaction" with the suspect on three separate times in the past month, and photographs were taken.