JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) has arrested 56-year-old David Arthur Binz, a convicted sex offender, on eight felony charges related to sex offender requirement violations. Detectives are continuing their investigation to determine if additional charges are warranted.
JSO’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit immediately began investigating the allegations after learning of them. Working with the Offender Tracking Unit, detectives took Binz into custody on the evening of September 5.
Binz has been convicted three times for crimes against children. In 2006, he was convicted in Duval for using the internet to solicit a child for sex. In 2009, he was convicted for possession of child porn in Volusia, FL. In 2011, he was convicted for for unlawful sexual activity with minors in Orange, FL.
JSO stated that a private citizen conducted their own inquiry before contacting law enforcement, emphasizing that vigilante investigations are dangerous as they can spread misinformation, compromise evidence, and put victims or bystanders at greater risk. The Sheriff’s Office also clarified that claims circulating on social media about the suspect’s phone not being seized were false; officers did seize the phone and have searched it for evidence in collaboration with the State Attorney’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office reiterated that protecting children is a top priority and that only trained law enforcement officers should conduct such investigations to avoid jeopardizing criminal cases. They urge the public to report any information related to potential child exploitation directly to law enforcement.
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