A UF Health doctor and assistant professor has been arrested and charged with possessing and transmitting child sexual abuse material.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office announced July 8 that deputies, working with the Gainesville Police Department, arrested Dr. Chintan Shah after serving a residential search warrant at his Newberry home on July 7.
Alachua County Jail records show Shah was booked into the facility on July 8 at 11:05 a.m. He was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material, transmission of child sexual abuse material and use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, members of its Digital Crimes Unit and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a cyber tip in early April alleging that a social media user had shared a video depicting the sexual abuse of a child.
Detectives later developed probable cause that Shah possessed child sexual abuse material and engaged in illicit online conversations with minors through social media, including discussions involving the viewing of such material, authorities said.
UF Health has placed Shah, a kidney specialist, on administrative leave.
“We are actively working with law enforcement on this case. Dr. Shah has been placed on administrative leave and is being trespassed from all University of Florida property effective today, July 8, as a result of these allegations,” UF Health said in a statement.
As of July 8, Shah’s profile page on the UF Health website and a 2023 article highlighting his work in kidney disease care were no longer publicly available.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains active and that additional charges could be filed.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: UF Health doctor, professor charged with possession of child porn
Reporting by Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
