Another day, another creeper caught hiding in plain sight. This one lived in a Plantation, Florida apartment. He had a history of showcasing weapons online. His YouTube channel, focused entirely on tactical gear and firearms, was a digital shrine to guns. He even named the channel after the gun store he used to run in a Houston suburb. However, none of that is why the FBI showed up at his door with a SWAT team this week.
According to federal authorities, 38-year-old Carl Cunningham allegedly used the messaging app Kik to trade and collect CSAM videos. Not just images. Not just encrypted chats. Actual videos. And not a case of mistaken identity.
Investigators said they tracked the Kik account through an IP address, then matched it to images Cunningham uploaded of himself. That might have been enough on its own. But they went a step further. They said they recognized the same man handling weapons on his “Everyman Tactical” YouTube channel. His online persona, built around guns and gear, helped confirm who they were dealing with.
The platform he used wasn’t some encrypted dark web portal. It was Kik. A widely available app with a long track record of being exploited by predators. Let us never forget that Kik’s userbase has an inordinate share of sex offenders, pedophiles, child porn collectors, and child traffickers.
This app is once again at the center of a federal criminal case involving CSAM. Kik has earned its reputation in law enforcement circles, and not in a good way. For years, it’s been flagged for the way it enables anonymous communication and creates loopholes for people looking to avoid detection. And yet, little has changed.
In this case, the complaint says Cunningham uploaded dozens of videos, with many involving very young girls. Investigators also uncovered messages in which he allegedly described targeting children, including bragging about past experiences. They say he actively sought access to more content and to more victims. Not just a passive collector. Someone engaged in a cycle of harm.
When agents arrived, Cunningham is said to have denied everything. Denied the Kik account. Denied the chats. Denied the videos. Yet, his digital footprint contradicted all of it. The images. The IP data. The verification photo. The public-facing gun channel. It all pointed back to him.
Now he’s facing serious federal charges. Possession. Distribution. Possibly more. He’s already appeared in court and remains in custody under the supervision of the U.S. Marshals Service. A detention hearing is set, and an arraignment has been scheduled.
This should be another wake-up call. Not just about one man. Not just about one crime. But about how platforms like Kik continue to serve as hunting grounds for online predators. Even people who live out loud, post gun videos online, and build digital identities, can still use those same tools to hide. Until they’re not hiding anymore.
If I had to hazard a guess, I bet this guy didn’t vote for Kamala Harris. I’m also pretty sure he’s not a drag queen either.
(Source)
Real Crime with Trench Reynolds 
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