Florida nanny and foster parent charged with human trafficking

27-year-old Pensacola, Florida resident Nicole Lynn Walter was initially arrested on April 20, 2020 for charges including lewd and lascivious behavior with a victim less than 16-years-old and possession of child pornography.  She had been licensed as a nanny and foster parent.

The following day, her bail was set at $72,500.  During that court appearance, her attorney Thomas McGuire did not attempt to deny that sexual videos were produced by his client but rather, that children were not actually present at the time.

“Essentially my client was able to create an audio which contemplated her having a conversation with her children while doing erotic activities," he said. "And the children's comment are things like ‘look at mommy’s butt’, ‘look at that booty.’ So she then takes that audio and blends it into a video when the children aren’t around at all."

Escambia County Sheriff's Office asked that any parent that believed their child may have had contact with Walter contact their investigator Jeremy Horn at (850)436-9586 or jahorn@escambiaso.com based on images and videos that had been recovered from her residence during the execution of a search warrant.  According to NW Florida the Sheriff's Office received between 20 and 30 calls from concerned parents within the first 24 hours.

During the course of the investigation, Walter was eventually released on bond.  She was re-arrested Monday on a warrant for human trafficking.  As of today, she is back in custody of ESCO.

“We continued our investigation and determined there was an exchange of money for a video that was made involving some minor children,” said Chief Deputy Chip Simmons according to WEARTV.

Simmons further stated that "Walter was also contacted by an individual out-of-state who had made a specific request for her to make a video that would include minor children being present in the frame of the video in exchange for money.”  Walter is reported to have charged $8/ minute for live Skype calls of this nature.

According to Sheriff David Morgan, Walter also used the last names Steff and Stearns.  They believe the videos found in her possession dated to between 2017 and 2018.

Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille explained that Walter is charged with human trafficking under a Florida statute that defines it as benefiting financially from sexual activity involving minors.

“She is charged under the human trafficking statute, but under the provision that makes it a crime to engage in commercial sexual activity during which any child under the age of 18 is involved."