A Walt Disney World employee who dressed as the characters Goofy and Beast from “Beauty and the Beast” has been arrested on child pornography charges.
Roommates of Matthew Wendland, 20, tipped police to images in Wendland’s room of children in sexual poses, according to an Orange County sheriff’s report. A search turned up a half-dozen printed computer pictures of children under 18 performing sex acts or in sexual poses and at least 45 more images on a CD, the report stated.
Wendland, who has worked for Disney since July, was arrested Thursday on 51 counts of child pornography.
No complaints have been filed against him at the park, Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said. He has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the charges, she said.
Wendland was to be released on $8,500 bond Friday, Orange County Jail spokesman Allen Moore said. It was not known whether he had a lawyer.
