Former SWFL student & advocate against sexual violence arrested on sex charges

An advocate known for cracking down on child sex abuse was caught doing the very thing he was fighting against.

New York investigators arrested Joel Davis after they say he asked an undercover agent for naked photos of young children under 10-years-old.

“Any form of sexual abuse is sickening and just wrong, but especially in this case it’s just… there’s not really words to describe it,” said Punta Gorda neighbor Rachel Layton.

Davis graduated from Port Charlotte High School and moved to New York to start the advocacy group “Youth to End Sexual Violence.”

“It’s just scary. You don’t want to trust your kid with just anyone out there. Even someone who looks so innocent and clean cut could still be a bad person,” Layton said.

Layton is a mom and has a personal connection to Davis. He was her sister’s former classmate in high school. Now, 22-year-old Davis faces child sex abuse charges.

“The fact that, you know, every day he’s just telling people that it’s wrong and advocating against it, but there he is leading that double life,” Layton said.

Authorities say Davis was caught exchanging explicit photos and text messages, and telling an undercover officer he wanted to engage in sexual acts with a nine-year-old and two-year-old.

And now, the Columbia University student finds himself behind bars.

Davis has said he was a 2015 Nobel Peace Prize nominee for his attempts to stop sexual violence.

His arrest has worried many of his former neighbors.

“It’s very very frightening…you just don’t know what you’re dealing with,” said neighbor Meridy Moore.

Davis faces up to life in prison.