Woman Charged with Sending Herself Child Porn and Blaming Someone Else

BROOKSVILLE – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has announced the arrest of a Spring Hill woman, who officials say attempted to accuse another person of producing and transmitting child pornography.

According to reports, 42-year-old Ronda Hawkins contacted the FDLE to report that she was contacted by a suspect, not identified in their report, who sent her images depicting sexual abuse of children. She also alleged that the suspect had solicited her to arrange for the suspect to have sex with a minor, record the crime, and sell those images. Based on the information Hawkins provided, probable cause was established to obtain search warrants and conduct interviews with the suspect she named.

Officials say, through investigative techniques and interviews with the suspect and Hawkins, agents discovered that the social media profile of the accused was fictitious and had been created by Hawkins herself.

Hawkins' elaborate scheme included creating the imposter social media profile to "communicate" with, and transmit images depicting the sexual abuse of children, to herself, after which she falsely reported the criminal activity to have been committed by another person.

Hawkins was placed under arrest and charged with one count of falsifying a police report, one count of identity theft, one count of transmission of child sexual abuse material, two counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Hawkins is held without bond at the Hernando County Jail.

Hawkins' case will be prosecuted by the Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's Office of Statewide Prosecution.

Hawkins has been arrested eleven times since 2015 on various charges involving drugs, thefts, and domestic battery.