Disney's Beast Cast Member Arrested In Child-Porn Case

Leah Zanolla | Posted: Feb 9, 2007 | Updated: Oct 19, 2014 - 9:25:27 AM

Local6.com - A Walt Disney World cast member who plays Beast from "Beauty and the Beast" was arrested Thursday on 51 counts of child pornography, according to Local 6 News.

Orange County sheriff's deputies arrested Matthew Wendland, 20, after receiving a tip from one of his roommates at Camden World apartments near the Disney World property.

Authorities picked up Wendland at his work at Disney, where he was dressed as the Beast from Walt Disney World.

Officers then went to his home.

'He gave us consent to search his apartment," Orange County Sheriff's Sgt. Rick Mankewich said. "In his bedroom, in his apartment we located several images of young children posed in pornographic positions."

"(They) found explicit photos of children ages 3 and up," Local 6's Charnel Wright said. "It was shocking, even to investigators."

"It is obviously concerning for anyone downloading pictures like this," Mankewich said. "I've viewed the pictures myself and it is extremely disturbing looking at these."

The 20-year-old did not have a criminal background.

"This guy doesn't have a criminal history," Mankewich said. "You can do all of the check you want and it is not going to show anything. We just lucked out that somebody saw these images in his bedroom, which is locked, and was able to get to us."

Authorities believe Wendland downloaded the images and did not take them himself.

A Disney official said Wendland has been suspended without pay.

Wendland also plays the character Goofy at Walt Disney World.