Warning: Some of the details in this story may be disturbing to some readers.

A senior attorney for the Department of Business and Professional Regulation was fired Tuesday following his arrest on charges of possession of child pornography.

David Wayne Aring, 48, was arrested after an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, according to court records. He was booked into the county jail on 10 felony counts of possession of child pornography and one misdemeanor count of possession of a child-like sex doll.

Investigators traced online activity on a peer-to-peer network to Aring's apartment and found child pornography had been uploaded at his address. They learned Aring, who spent five years working for the state's Guardian ad Litem program, was the only person residing at the apartment.

On Tuesday, FDLE agents executed a search warrant at his apartment and found a flash drive hidden in the back of a sock drawer in his bedroom. Aring declined to speak to investigators about the device, invoking his right to remain silent.

The flash drive contained numerous videos showing the sexual abuse of girls as young as 3 years old. One of the videos depicted a young girl being molested by a clown.

Investigators also found what they described as a life-like silicon doll of a nude child at the foot of his bed with a towel over its face and chest.

"The doll resembles a pre-pubescent child with small hands, feet, facial features and genitalia," the probable cause affidavit says. "It was evident ... that Mr. Aring was using the child like doll for sexual gratification."

Last year, Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation, sponsored legislation banning child-like sex dolls in Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill (SB 160) into law, making it a first-degree misdemeanor to possess or sell one.

Aring had his first court appearance Wednesday via closed circuit TV from the jail. He said he lost his job on Tuesday and can't afford a private attorney.

"The charges are serious, I understand," he said under questioning from Leon County Judge Augustus Aikens Jr.

Aikens granted pretrial release for Aring, who said he plans to move to Tampa to live with a family member while his case moves through the courts. He promised to return to Tallahassee for all court appearances.

Aring was ordered to have no access to the internet and no contact with children. Aikens instructed him not to go to parks or schools or other places where children congregate.

"I never did to begin with," Aring replied.

A DBPR spokeswoman confirmed Aring was fired on Tuesday. He worked in compliance and enforcement and earned nearly $56,000 a year, according to Florida's state government salaries database.

Aring's career includes stints as an assistant public defender in Pinellas County, an assistant state attorney in Monroe County and a senior attorney for the Florida Department of Children and Families in Panama City, according to his LinkedIn page.

He worked as a senior lawyer for the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program, which represents children in dependency cases, in New Port Richey from 2007 to 2012. His duties included working with volunteers and staff, assisting with adoption proceedings, monitoring the placement of children and making recommendations to parents.

"On average, was appointed to over 200 children of various ages and needs and worked well with the individual volunteers assigned to each child to be a strong advocate and voice for the children in the dependency courts," he wrote on his LinkedIn page.

After spending a few years in private practice, he joined DBPR in 2018. The agency is responsible for licensing and regulating businesses and professionals in the state.

Correction: An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect date for when Aring joined DBPR.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.

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