The man who plays the character Beast of "Beauty and the Beast" at Disney's Magic Kingdom has been arrested and charged with 51 counts of child pornography.
Matthew Wendland, 20, of Orlando, was arrested early Friday morning after his roommates tipped off authorities, according to FOX affiliate WOFL. He is charged with 51 counts of possessing material that depicts a child in sexual performance and is scheduled to be arraigned Friday.
Sgt. Richard Mankewich of the Orange County Sheriff's Department said authorities are questioning Wendland about any possible inappropriate contact he might have had with children at the theme parks, WOFL reported. But officials have no evidence he has done anything directly to hurt children.
Mankewich said police they found evidence — at least 50 images of child pornography — inside a suitcase in Wendland's apartment.
Another local news station, WKMG, reported that authorities picked up Wendland at his work at Disney, where he was dressed as the Beast. Officers then went to his home. Mankewich told WKMG that the pictures are "extremely disturbing."
Click here to read the WKMG story
Authorities believe Wendland downloaded the images and did not take them himself, WKMG reported. A Disney official said Wendland has been suspended without pay.
Wendland also plays the character Goofy at Walt Disney World.
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