Pembroke Pines

Pembroke Pines Man Changes Plea, Gets 5 Years for Child Pornography Charges

Steven Syms' accounts had thousands of child pornography pictures and videos, investigators said

Hands on Keyboard Generic Computer
NBC News

After pleading not guilty to possessing thousands of child pornography pictures and videos, a Pembroke Pines man has changed his plea.

Steven Edward Syms Jr., 39, surrendered at the Broward County courthouse following a hearing Monday where he pleaded guilty to 11 counts including possession and viewing depictions of sexual performances by a child, court records show. 

Steven Syms
Broward Sheriff's Office
Steven Syms

He was sentenced to four years in state prison, followed by five years of probation with no early termination. Other restrictions included registration as a sex offender and restricted access to computer devices and the internet.

Syms was arrested in May 2021 after law enforcement received nearly 90 cyber-tips about child pornography being shared by three Yahoo accounts that were all traced back to Syms, according to the arrest report.

An investigation was launched in March 2020, and a total of 6,802 pictures and videos were shared since 2014 of children ranging in age from toddlers to teenagers engaging in sex acts with adults and each other. Some of the images and videos included cartoons, investigators said.

Detectives said they were also able to obtain account emails that contained Syms’ picture, student ID, former employment agreement with the Fort Lauderdale’s Public Works Department, medical information, and other correspondence.

During questioning, police said Syms explained he had the three Yahoo accounts because he had new account name preferences over the years.

His aunt was also questioned because he lived with her. She told police she and Syms each had their own email accounts and neither knew the password for the other’s account, the report stated.

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