Friends came together in support of Gene Follin, now 63, who underwent open heart surgery on December 3, 2017, following a heart attack.
The creator of the GoFundMe, which was set up to offer financial support while the restaurant employee recovered from surgery, adds, “In his home he is a loving father and grandfather, often sharing stories, pictures, and visits with his wonderful family.”
“In the hearts of those closest to Geno, he is irreplaceable,” the message goes on. Even when it is most difficult for him, he is always rushing around attempting to assist individuals he loves about. He is trustworthy, kind, caring, loving, and loyal.
In order to support the father of three kids, Tyler, Jared, and Christian, as well as three grandchildren, Zackory Wade, Rylan Andrew, and Emma Mercy, the campaign raised $2,325 of its $5,000 target.
However, the perception that “those lucky enough to be in his circle” had of the guy was about to undergo a significant transformation.
Google account that has been flagged
Follin asked his 30-year-old son Jared for assistance in September 2024 when he was locked out of his Gmail account. Jared, a senior planner in Hillsborough County, Florida, discovered something terrible when attempting to get his father’s Google account back.
According to the affidavit published by The Smoking Gun, “his son Jared Follin informed me he discovered child pornography on Gene’s cellphone after Gene needed help accessing his email due to Gene being disabled for sexual explicit images of children.”
According to the New York Post, the horrified son purportedly discovered almost 1,000 child pornographic files on his father’s phone, which Google has blocked for storing illegal child photos in its Google Photos folder.
After the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children task force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, it was later determined that the account belonged to the grandpa from Kenneth City.
Unsettling pictures
Follin was arrested on January 28, 2025, for possessing child pornography after confessing to “saving child pornography” during a police interrogation.
According to the affidavit, detectives discovered 952 files posted to the account between March 13, 2023, and September 10, 2024, that contained child erotica and child pornography.
Some of the pictures showed girls between the ages of five and eight.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office charge report states that the Missouri native was freed from detention upon the posting of a $100,000 bond. The maximum penalty for each of the 20 second degree felony offenses is 15 years in jail.
“Deranged psycho pedophile”
Although Jared hasn’t discussed his unsettling father’s misdeeds in public, his Facebook page has turned into a forum for public opinion.
On July 10, 2024, a Facebook post with the comment, “I’m grateful for all of my family and friends.” Cheers to my thirties! The father appears in a few of the pictures, and several internet users shared their thoughts about him.
It’s sad that you have to put up with a father that is a crazy lunatic pedophile. Fortunately, you turned his filthy, repulsive a** in. What a terrible ordeal to endure. One person adds, “I’m praying for your family because it’s such a sad thing for you and your family to go through.”
Others praised the youngster for reporting his own father and provided them support.
possibly though you must have found this very difficult, you may have prevented a young girl or possibly many from experiencing anything more serious than simply having pictures. Given how many people there are, it might not seem like much, but I can assure you that a great number of people are grateful for what you did,” adds a second netizen.
“You are a good man,” says another. You made the right decision, and for that I am proud.
Do you think the son did the right thing by reporting his father? Before sharing this story, please let us know what you think so we can hear from others.
