Orlando Law Professor Arrested for Possession of Hundreds of Child Pornography Images

Barry University professor Glen-Peter Ahlers charged after investigation by Dropbox and law enforcement

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A Barry University law professor in Orlando, Florida has been arrested and charged after an investigation found hundreds, possibly thousands, of child pornography images on his hard drive. The disturbing images involved infants, toddlers and school-age children engaged in sexual acts with adults. The investigation began when cloud storage company Dropbox alerted authorities to the illegal content in the professor's account.

Why it matters

The arrest of a tenured law professor on child pornography charges raises serious concerns about the safety of students and the public trust in academic institutions. It also highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in combating the distribution and possession of exploitative content involving minors.

The details

According to the arrest affidavit, Glen-Peter Ahlers, 70, had a large cache of child pornography images and videos on a hard drive found at his home. The disturbing content depicted infants, toddlers and school-age children being sexually abused. Investigators also found photos on Ahlers' phone that appeared to be of a Barry University student, with the images zoomed in on the student's groin area. Ahlers told detectives the child pornography was due to 'curiosity' and his 'own private embarrassment'.

  • In October 2025, cloud storage company Dropbox alerted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child pornography found in Ahlers' account.
  • On February 3, 2026, sheriff's investigators stopped Ahlers while he was driving and questioned him about the search warrants that were to be executed.
  • On February 19, 2026, Ahlers was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography.

The players

Glen-Peter Ahlers

A 70-year-old law professor at Barry University's Orlando campus who was arrested and charged with possession of hundreds, possibly thousands, of child pornography images.

Dropbox

A cloud storage company that alerted authorities about child pornography found in Ahlers' account, which sparked the investigation.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The organization that received the tip from Dropbox and then alerted the Orange County Sheriff's Office to investigate further.

Orange County Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency that conducted the investigation and executed search warrants, leading to Ahlers' arrest.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The entire contents of the Dropbox were organized meticulously in different folders.”

— Detective (Orlando Sentinel)

“It was 'just curiosity' that attracted him to child pornography, calling it his 'own private embarrassment'.”

— Glen-Peter Ahlers, Law Professor (Orlando Sentinel)

“She had caught him 'looking at young teenage girls in public' before.”

— Ahlers' Wife (Orlando Sentinel)

What’s next

Ahlers has been released on $100,000 bond and has not yet entered a plea. The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow him to remain out on bail during the ongoing legal proceedings.

The takeaway

This case highlights the disturbing prevalence of child exploitation material and the need for rigorous oversight and accountability, even within respected academic institutions. It underscores the importance of robust reporting mechanisms and thorough investigations to protect vulnerable members of the community.