Crime & Safety

Valrico Residents Face Child Abuse, Pornography Charges

The defendants reportedly took sexually explicit photos of a child under age 12.

Two Valrico residents are facing multiple counts of child abuse, possession of pornography, sexual battery and other charges for photographing a child in sexual poses.

Charged are Elizabeth Wirick, 46, of 3320 Stonebridge Trail, in River Hills, Valrico, and Richard James Piccoli, 58, of the same address.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, a witness delivered a USB drive to the sheriff's office that contained images recovered from Wirick and Piccoli's laptop.

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The USB drive contained 22 images depicting a child under age 12 engaging in sexual conduct and sexually explicit poses. The sheriff's office said, in four of the images, the defendants induced the victim to engage in a sexual performance.

The sheriff's office said these incidents occurred on two separate dates.

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In three images, the sheriff's office said Wirick forced or enticed the victim to touch her breast in a lewd manner. 

In six images, the victim is posed next to the defendants with an adult sex toy. The images also show the victim using the sex toy on herself. The sheriff's office said Wirick performed sexual activities with the victim while Piccoli posed in the photos with Wirick and the victim.

The offenses reportedly took place at the defendants' home.

Wirick is charged with 22 counts of using a child in sexual performances, two counts of child abuse, three counts of lewd molestation, six counts of attempted capital sexual battery and two counts of lewd exhibition.

Piccoli is charged with 22 counts of possession of child pornography, four counts of using a child in a sexual performance and two counts of child abuse.

This isn't Wirick's first run-in with the law. She was arrested in 2006 for possession of cocaine and driving under the influence with property damage. She was arrested again in 2007 for DUI with property damage or injuries.

Piccoli has arrests dating back to 1999 for grand theft and felony petit theft.


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