HERNANDO COUNTY – A man will spend the rest of his life in prison for, among other offenses, multiple counts of capital sexual battery and promoting the sexual performance of children, according to the Office of the State Attorney, Fifth Judicial Circuit.
On Thursday, Oct. 22, Judge Daniel B. Merritt sentenced Charles Michael Mabry, 44, to 13 life terms without the possibility of parole.
Mabry was found guilty earlier this year on the following charges:
- Four counts of Capital Sexual Battery of a Child under the Age of Twelve
- Seven counts of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a Child under the Age of Twelve
- 15 counts of Promoting the Sexual Performance of a Child
- One count of Sexual Exhibition
- One count of Sexual Conduct
“Thirteen life sentences send an unmistakable message -- crimes against children will be met with the full force of the law,” said State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit. “These victims deserved safety, innocence and a childhood free from abuse. Our responsibility is to stand up for those who cannot always stand up for themselves and ensure that those who inflict such harm are held accountable for their actions.”
Mabry was arrested in July 2024 following a Hernando County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the possession of child pornography after being notified by officials with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation called “Guardians of Innocence,” targeting online predators. During this operation, law enforcement conducted a search warrant at Mabry’s home and located a large amount of child sex abuse material on the defendant’s devices.
Further investigation led to the discovery of videos the defendant made from 2013-2015 where he abused three separate victims. Through digital forensic data, authorities were later able to confirm the crimes committed by the defendant occurred at his previous residence in Spring Hill.
Contact with various witnesses in the investigation identified the three juvenile victims in the illicit material. Officials interviewed Mabry about the Hernando County crimes, and he admitted to living in the home and owning the electronic devices. He was subsequently charged based on witness statements and forensic evidence tying him to the crimes.
Assistant State Attorney Angelina Rodeo successfully prosecuted this case, with the efforts of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Earnest of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Major Cases Section.