ORLANDO, Fla. — A former Orlando-area leader for the Bahia Shrine in Central Florida has been federally charged with distribution and possession of child pornography.
- William Trey Rapp faces federal charges of child porn possession
- Investigators said they traced child porn download to Rapp's home
- Ex-Bahia Shriners leader held in Seminole County jail in Sanford
William Trey Rapp, 49, is accused in a criminal complaint filed in the Middle District of Florida of downloading and saving illegal images of adults and children performing sex acts.
Rapp served as potentate, or top leader, of Bahia Shriners, as well as other leadership roles for the charitable organization.
Rapp was deemed a danger to the community during a detention hearing in Orlando before Magistrate Judge Gregory J. Kelly on July 18. Since then, he’s been held at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Sanford.
Mitch Lokken, who handles public relations for Bahia Shriners, on Friday said Rapp is no longer with the organization. He declined to offer additional comments.
An email seeking comment from Shriners International wasn’t immediately acknowledged.
Local Shriners are part of an international nonprofit dedicated to helping families and children, especially young burn victims. Shriners International also supports Shriners Hospitals for Children, a health system with 22 locations.
A criminal complaint says the FBI detected a suspected download of child porn June 17 and traced the activity to Rapp. One of the videos showed a man attacking a 5-year-old girl, authorities say.
An investigator with a search warrant went to Rapp’s house at 7 a.m. July 18 and asked about online activities. Rapp cooperated and said he used a file-sharing program to view child porn, the complaint said.
He also shared the illegal images with others, he said. He said he couldn’t recall when he began viewing child porn but said his attraction to children began when he was a child and “it never left him.”
A biography about Rapp on Bahia Shrine publications says he was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma and moved to Central Florida in 1992.
“Trey officially started his Masonic career in 2008 when he petitioned a lodge and, in 2009 was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason at Pine Castle Lodge in Orlando, Florida serving as Worshipful Master in 2012,” the publication said.
He served as Masonic Youth Activities Chairman for District 17 from 2012 to 2015.
“In 2010 he became a Noble of Bahia Shrine and quickly became an active member serving Bahia Shriners as Web Director from 2011 to 2013,” the bio said.
Rapp, his wife, and their adopted daughter were featured prominently in the souvenir program book for the 65th Annual Bahia Shrine Circus, which was held at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee in May.
