Pinellas County – On June 19, 2025, Marrell Speights, a former medical behavioral assistant at Nina Harris Exceptional Student Education Center in Pinellas County, Florida, was arrested at Tampa International Airport upon his return from Japan via Canadian Airlines Flight 1654. Speights faces federal charges for transportation and possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(1) and § 2252(a)(4)(B), according to a criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
The arrest followed a Tampa passenger lookout that identified Speights as a high-risk individual for possession of child sexual exploitation material. Law enforcement encountered Speights as he disembarked at Terminal E72. During a basic examination of his cellphone, for which Speights provided the password, officers discovered approximately 20 videos in the device’s Hidden Photos section depicting what appeared to be females aged 12-14 performing sexual and lewd acts. Speights also provided the password for his laptop, though the complaint does not specify findings from that device.
In a post-Miranda interview, Speights admitted to knowingly possessing imagery of nude female children aged 12-14 on his phone, saved for his personal use. He further confessed to taking non-consensual photographs of students at his school and revealed that a gaming computer at his residence also contains child pornography. Based on the expertise of HSI Special Agent Jacob Sanchez, the imagery reviewed by law enforcement depicted actual minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Nina Harris Exceptional Student Education Center, where Speights was employed for approximately 10 years, issued a statement to families confirming his arrest and emphasizing that he is no longer an employee of the school or Pinellas County Schools. The statement noted that Speights had passed all required background checks and screenings at the time of his hiring, as mandated by state law and district policy. School leaders expressed their commitment to student safety, stating, “The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. Pinellas County Schools and Nina Harris ESE Center maintain zero tolerance for any behavior that compromises student safety or the trust of our community.” Families were encouraged to report concerns via law enforcement, school administration, or the Say Something anonymous reporting app.
The investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tampa, is part of ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation. The criminal complaint, supported by an affidavit from Special Agent Sanchez, was reviewed and authorized by U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher P. Tuite on June 20, 2025.
Speights was taken into federal custody pending further legal proceedings. HSI encourages the public to report suspected predators through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.