(Marion County, FL) On Wednesday morning, February 4, 2026, Judge Peter M. Brigham sentenced 45-year-old Michael Alton McMasters to twenty Life sentences in the Florida Department of Corrections. Back in December of 2025, a jury found McMasters guilty of twenty felony counts of Possession of Child Pornography.

The case against McMasters developed in January of 2024, when law enforcement officials at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating an online user had uploaded files containing apparent child pornography.

During their investigation, officials were able to determine that the defendant was the owner of the account. Detectives responded to McMasters’ residence off Southwest 30th Terrace, where they made contact with the defendant, who was residing in a camper trailer on the property.

In speaking with McMasters, detectives revealed the reason for their investigation. McMasters denied any knowledge of child sex abuse material being uploaded before refusing to answer any further questions from officials. McMasters was taken into custody, and multiple devices from within the home were seized as evidence.

An MCSO Digital Forensic Technician completed a forensic exam of the defendant’s devices and located the aforementioned files.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Samantha Wahba and Drew Brandies.

Published on 02/06/2026.