Memphis man accused of downloading, watching child porn at McDonald’s

A grand jury indicted a Memphis, Tennessee, man on Tuesday for allegedly using McDonald’s free Wi-Fi to download and watch child pornography.

According to WMC, Robert Cliff Jr., 34,  was arrested on May 1, 2016, after someone purportedly witnessed him viewing child porn inside the restaurant.

Investigators acquired more than 50 sexually explicit images of underage children from Cliff’s computer and jump drive. Cliff reportedly told officers with the Shelby County Police Department (SCPD) that the youngest child in the images was younger than 12 years old.

According to WREG, Cliff worked at the Memphis Zoo and a school cafeteria through two third-party food service contractors.

Cliff was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, a class C felony. The 34-year-old could spend 3-15 years behind bars if convicted. He is held at the Shelby County jail on $150,000 bond.

McDonald’s Wi-Fi and porn-related arrests aren’t a rare pairing. In 2011, a 53-year-old Mississippi man was arrested for allegedly watching “cartoon pornography” inside a McDonald’s PlayPlace with his laptop. Authorities alleged Ronnie Hobbs “watching cartoon pornography pictures inside a public place the images of which could be viewed from the parking lot and drive-thru by other customers,” The Smoking Gun reported.

McDonald’s started blocking pornography from their free Wi-Fi in June of last year.

“McDonald’s is committed to providing a safe environment for our customers, and we are pleased to share that wifi filtering has been activated in the majority of McDonald’s nearly 14,000 restaurants nationwide,” a spokesperson for the fast food chain told the Consumerist.

The move came following pressure from internet safety advocacy group Enough is Enough (EIE). EIE President Donna Rice Hughes said in a statement:

“Parents can have peace of mind that, when they or their children go to McDonald’s, they will have a safer and more friendly WiFi experience, filtered from pornography, from child porn and from potential sexual exploitation and predation.”

[Feature Photo: Shelby County Sheriff’s Office]