OCALA, Fla.—A cell phone seized from Brett Baldwin in the case of his missing wife Nicole Baldwin contained 31 images and videos of naked children and children being sexually abused, according to a federal criminal complaint obtained by Inside Lake.
Neighbors awoke to the sound of flashbangs before daybreak Thursday morning as authorities swooped in on his mother’s house on County Road 134B near Wildwood in Sumter County and took him into custody on a federal warrant for possession of child pornography. He was later booked into the Marion County Jail, where he is being held on no bond.
According to the complaint, “On November 28, 2023, detectives with the Mount Dora Police Department seized an iPhone 14 cell phone…from the person of its owner Brett Baldwin while executing a search warrant at his residence in Mount Dora, Lake County, Florida. The phone was seized in furtherance of a missing person investigation.”
Numerous agencies have been involved in the case of Baldwin’s missing wife, including Mount Dora Police Department (MDPD), Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO,) Seminole County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE.)
Upon searching the phone, FDLE found 31 files containing child pornography that included children described as “less than 2 years old and less than 3 years old.” DHS took over the case and warrant for Baldwin’s arrest was issued.
MDPD has not commented on Baldwin’s arrest and has remained tight-lipped about its investigation into Nicole Baldwin’s disappearance. DHS believes he was preparing to flee Florida.
The DHS complaint states, “Baldwin has made it known that he is moving to Waynesville, North Carolina in the very near future. Baldwin has recently moved from Mount Dora, FL to his mother’s home in Wildwood, FL with his 11-year-old daughter and his 13-year-old son. He has yet to enroll his children in a school making it evident that this move out of the state of Florida will take place.”
Nicole Baldwin, 41, was last seen Nov. 2 and reported missing Nov. 5 from her home in Mount Dora. She is considered “missing endangered” and is described as a white female, 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 135 pounds, with brown and (dyed) blonde hair, and hazel eyes. If you have information on Baldwin’s disappearance, call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. Crimeline callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.
Previous stories: Husband of Missing Mount Dora Mom Being Held on Federal Charges – Inside Lake
Husband of Missing Mount Dora Woman Taken into Custody Thursday Morning – Inside Lake
