MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — An elderly Martin County man was arrested on child sex abuse charges last week, and investigators say there could be more victims.
Earle Louis Hamm, 82, of Jensen Beach, was arrested Oct. 28.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, on Oct. 27, a deputy investigated a report of a woman’s missing 15-year-old son.
The woman said she was concerned for her son, so she unlocked his phone and found disturbing pictures and videos. The affidavit said one video taken on Sept. 25, 2025, showed the unknown juvenile’s “hands and feet bound with duct tape and an older male (possible name of Lou)” engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct.
The arrest report said that after investigators seized the phone, they found multiple inappropriate videos involving Hamm.
Using the videos, investigators tracked down where the suspect lived and went to his house to interview him.
The report said they asked Hamm if he knew the boy was underage, and he replied, “He’s almost 16. I think he’s 15 now.” However, he denied that he ever showed porn to minors.
Hamm was later arrested and taken to the Martin County jail.
Earle faces three charges:
Use or allow a child to engage in sex Sell, rent, loan, or give obscene material to a minor Lewd or lascivious conduct by an adult against a victim younger than 16 years old
He is being held at the Martin County Jail on a $800,000 bond