ORLANDO – Clay County Sheriff’s Office Dets. Eva Solis and Ryan Ellis were honored Tuesday as the Law Enforcement Officers of the Year at the Florida Sheriff’s Conference.

Sheriff Michelle Cook made the announcement shortly after they were selected from more than 48,000 officers in the state.

“They have a primary focus on child sexual exploitation,” she said. “They help out in other ways. They do other investigations for us because they're so good, but that is their primary focus.”

Ellis said Solis was an instant asset to the unit.

“I've worked with Det. Solis off and on throughout my years at the sheriff's office, we've been working together, kind of sort of side by side at times and in investigations for the last couple of years,” he said. “Det. Solis has done some amazing work, and I was excited when she ended up coming over to our Internet Crimes Against Children Unit.”

The case that distinguished Solis and Ellis occurred in May 2024, when the Baker County Sheriff’s Office provided information that one of their residents had purchased a storage unit containing a collection of cassettes, USB devices, and other items left behind, which concerned him.

“Detective Solis and I immediately sat down and started reviewing the forensics, and I came across files that I believe were produced child sexual abuse material,” Ellis said.

“So, they literally started with a thumb drive, which led them to a safe, which led them to a storage facility, which ultimately led them to two suspects who were in our community,” Cook said.

The buyer from Baker County won the storage unit located on County Road 218 in Middleburg after Frederick Karl Hildenbrand, who was 53 years old at the time, failed to make payments for 68 months. The buyer took the thumb drive to the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, which turned it over to CCSO.

Hildenbrand and another person eventually were charged with seven counts of possessing, controlling or viewing child pornography. They were arrested in Titusville and brought back to Clay County to face charges.

“This case, unfortunately, is probably in my top three worst I've ever seen or dealt with ever in my career,” Ellis said. “I ended up doing some undercover work as far as some controlled phone calls, me posing as the person that bought the storage unit and arranging to meet with the defendant up here in Clay County.”

“The suspect actually came and traveled to Clay County, and we did a full-on take down with him,” Solis said.

Sheriff Cook said the detectives earned the recognition.

“Det. Ellis and Det. Solis so much deserves this recognition because of their dogged approach every single day when they come into work,” she said. “Their passion about saving children deserves this recognition, but specifically this case that we're talking about, they definitely went above and beyond.”

Cook said the detectives represent all the men and women of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

“It makes me very proud of my team,” Cook said. “These cases are not about us. These awards are nice. But at the same time, life goes on, and there's still children out there that need to be rescued, that need to be saved, and that are counting on us to be OK and to work together and to be mentally stable enough to go in and help them.”