Former Surgeon’s CSAM Case Still Pending Two Years Later
David Stephen Saunders’, 73, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) case recently entered its second year, and the former surgeon remains out on a $125,000 bond.
On May 11, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children processed a CyberTip pertaining to Saunders’ possessing CSAM.
The CyberTip indicated that Saunders uploaded CSAM while at his home in Alachua.
An officer with the Alachua Police Department (APD) and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force reviewed the file attached to the CyberTip and confirmed it was CSAM.
APD conducted a search warrant on Saunders’ Gmail account but didn't find anymore CSAM for now.
On February 15, 2024, APD served a search warrant at Saunders’ house while he was present.
APD seized several electronic devices during the search, including a call phone possessed by Saunders, the same device he reportedly used to possess CSAM.
"The device possessed by [Saunders] was used to commit the crimes charged - ” the Police Report
A digital forensics examiner with the Gainesville Police Department assisted APD with data extraction. His report indicates that Saunders sought out CSAM through an online web browser, saved or bookmarked the webpage with the CSAM, and then continued to access the page. The examiner observed 18 files constituting CSAM.
One of the files regards a screenshot of a text chat containing CSAM. It’s unclear if Saunders was a sender or recipient in the chat.
Another file is described as a “collage of CSAM images...”
Saunders was arrested on May 30, 2024, on a warrant for 19 counts of possessing CSAM, one count of transmitting CSAM, and one count of using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Within a week, Saunders posted $140,000 in cash bail. Prosecutors dropped the transmission count when formally filing the charges, thus his now-lower bond.
Saunders faces a statutory maximum of 100 years in prison.
Saunders is represented by criminal defense attorney Gilbert Schaffnit and is being prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Lua Lepianka. Judge Robert Groeb is presiding over the case.
There have been a dozen case management hearings since the case was first opened. The most recent case management hearing was on Monday, in which another case management hearing was scheduled for July 20.
