News and Investigations

The Polk County Sheriff's Office Cyber Crimes Unit arrested two roommates, 25-year-old Jefferey Johnston and 24-year-old Ryan Braley, after an extensive investigation regarding the possession and distribution of child pornography taking place inside the home.

Click here for Sheriff Judd's comments on the investigation and arrests.

The investigation began after the receipt of a cybertip indicating several files were uploaded and being shared by a user at an address on Castlemain Circle in Davenport. 

Detectives obtained a search warrant for the Google account belonging to Johnston, and located over 300 files containing images and videos of male and female children between the ages of 12 months old to 12 years old being sexually abused. Detectives also located a video depicting an adult male sexually abusing a brown brindle colored medium-sized dog, by a male subject who was positively identified as Braley.

On February 10, 2026, detectives responded to the home and interviewed Johnston, who confessed to owning the Google account, possessing all of the child pornography, and that Braley sent him the video of Braley sexually abusing the dog in the home. The dog belongs to other residents who live there, and he was taken to a local veterinarian for a medical examination.

Johnston has been charged with 151 counts possession of child pornography, enhanced (F2), and possession of pornographic video depicting sexual activity involving animals (F3).

Braley has been charged with animal cruelty (M1), engaging in sexual contact with animal (F3) and filming sexual contact with animal (F3).