Assistant state attorney fired after child porn arrest: 'Deeply disturbed and sickened'

TAMPA, Fla. - The Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office says it has fired an assistant state attorney after his arrest on child porn charges.

Arrest of William Jones

The backstory:

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office says the investigation into William Jones, 32, began in July 2024 after detectives were informed that files containing children engaging in sexual acts were being shared.

PCSO says investigators interviewed Jones on Wednesday, during which he admitted to viewing and transmitting the files.

Mugshot of William Jones. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Jail.

The State Attorney's Office tells FOX 13 that Jones was hired in October 2021 after previously serving as an assistant state attorney with the First Judicial Circuit in the Florida Panhandle.

Jones faces three counts of possession of child pornography, three counts of transmission of child pornography and two counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor.

What they're saying:

State Attorney Suzy Lopez released the following statement confirming Williams has been fired:

"I am deeply disturbed and sickened by Andrew Jones’ actions, and he was terminated from his position as an Assistant State Attorney immediately following his arrest. As prosecutors, our duty is to protect the public, especially our children. There is no place in this office or community for this behavior. I want to thank law enforcement for their important work in identifying and arresting child predators. No one is above the law, and this office will never tolerate anyone who violates the trust of the people we serve."

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The Source: This story was written with information from the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office and previous FOX 13 News reports.

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