Local authorities have arrested a Live Oak man and charged him with multiple charges of sex abuse of a minor and say they found thousands of child pornography photographs on his computer.

Alfredo Valls, 54, of 10446 225th Road, was arrested by Sheriff’s Lt. Wayne Musgrove March 4 and charged with two counts of sexual battery on a child, two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child, three counts of lewd and lascivious battery of a child, inducing sexual performance of a child and possession of child pornography. According to a report by Musgrove, Valls is alleged to have molested a child between January of 2002 and October of 2004. When the abuse was reported, Musgrove said he executed a search warrant of Valls’ computer and found thousands of child pornography photos that included children engaging in sexual acts.

Valls is being held in the Suwannee County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond.

Three other arrests were made in unrelated cases. They were David Allen Brantley, 20, of Williston, who was arrested March 1 by Musgrove and charged with sexual battery on a child and lewd act upon a child. On the lewd acts on a minor charge, Musgrove said a juvenile female told him that she had been molested by Howard when she was ages six and seven when Brantley was about 15. Regarding the sexual battery charge, Musgrove said in 1996 and 1997 when Brantley was 12 and 13 years of age, he allegedly committed sex acts with a six-year-old girl. A reduction for bond was granted from $50,000 to $20,000 but Brantley is still jailed in the Suwannee County Jail.

David Stephan Mitchell, 44, of 828 Floyd Street, was arrested Feb. 28 by Live Oak Police Det. Ron Shaw and charged with sexual battery, battery and failure to pay a fine (Indian River Warrant). Shaw said Mitchell was in charge of a group home locally where he allegedly battered one client he was in charge of and sexually battered another. Shaw said Mitchell was the only employee living in the group home with the mentally challenged clients when the abuses allegedly occurred.

On Feb. 28, Deputy Harry Tucker arrested McArthur Howard Jr., 20, of 617 East Duval Street and charged him with lewd act on a child. Information was not available on this case at press time.