A Broward Sheriff's Office sergeant facing more than two dozen charges of child pornography and illicit sexual conduct was ordered held on $250,000 bond during his first court appearance Friday.
Sgt. Kreg Costa, 43, is facing 29 charges including possessing or viewing a depiction of child sexual conduct, sexual assault, lewd or lascivious conduct, using a computer to lure a child and using or allowing a child to engage in sex following his arrest Thursday, BSO officials said.
During Friday's court hearing, Costa's attorneys argued for a $50,000 bond, saying his family, which includes his wife and five kids, couldn't afford anything higher.
Prosecutors asked for a $345,000 bond but the judge settled on $250,000. If he posts bond Costa won't be allowed any contact with children and will only be allowed supervised visits with his kids. Costa will also have to wear a GPS monitor, will not be allowed to use any wireless technology including cell phones or computers, must stay 1,000 feet away from schools and will not be allowed to leave the tri-county area.
"I think they feel a little bit betrayed that a law enforcement officer could be charged with something like that," Costa's attorney, Daniel Aaronson, said after the hearing. "I think it's wrong, I think it's unfair."
Costa, who has been with the BSO since 1999, was arrested following a two-month investigation by the BSO's public corruption unit, officials said. He has been suspended without pay.
The investigation began after staff at the Weston district, where Costa worked as a road patrol supervisor, noticed he was staying in his office during his night shift with the lights off and his uniform belt and gun belt removed, officials said.
When detectives looked at a computer usage report of Costa's work-issued laptop from January through March, they found he was viewing hardcore pornography including incest-related and bondage websites while he was at work, officials said.
Detectives monitored Costa's internet activity and found he was engaging in sexually explicit exchanges with a 16-year-old California girl through email, Twitter and videos, officials said.
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Costa instructed the teen to record herself while engaging in sex acts with herself, officials said. The teen told investigators she told Costa she was 15 years old when she first started communicating with him.
Aaronson was asked about Costa's mood in jail.
"How he's doing, his mood, his demeanor, I don't think that's something for me to talk about," he said.
Investigators said they believe there may be more victims and are asking anyone with more information to call 954-321-1100.
