Carnival Mardi Gras Passenger Arrested After Disturbing Content Found During Customs Check

A Carnival Cruise Line passenger has been arrested after authorities discovered disturbing videos on his mobile phone while he was passing through US Customs following a cruise.

The man, identified as Anthony Ridings, had recently disembarked Carnival’s Mardi Gras when he was stopped by US Customs and Border Protection officers during routine processing.

Officers reportedly had concerns that Ridings may have been in possession of illegal material involving children.

However, when agents examined the device, they instead discovered multiple videos allegedly showing adults engaging in sexual acts with animals, which constitutes animal abuse under Florida law.

Investigation Launched After Cruise Return

Authorities have not publicly disclosed how Ridings initially came to their attention. Law enforcement officials note that cruise ships can detect and flag illegal downloads made while guests are connected to onboard WiFi systems, which may alert investigators once a ship returns to a US port.

“Ridings was stopped by our friends at Customs and Border Patrol regarding possible possession of child p— on his cellphone…” Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a statement posted on social media.

“However when agents looked at the videos, they didn’t find videos of child p—, but instead downloaded videos of adults engaging in sexual activities with dogs,” Ivey continued.

Following the discovery, Agent Josh Strait from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit responded to Port Canaveral to conduct interviews and begin a formal investigation.

During questioning, Ridings allegedly told investigators that the videos were intended to “shock” his friends.

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Arrest Made After Forensic Review

While the exact sailing has not been confirmed, Ridings is believed to have disembarked Mardi Gras in Port Canaveral on 27 December 2025, when the Excel-class ship was turning around between Caribbean itineraries.

Ridings was not immediately arrested. His phone was first examined by a digital forensics unit to determine whether additional illegal material was present.

“Ridings was not taken into custody at the onset of the investigation as Agent Strait was having the cellphone examined by our Digital Forensics Unit for additional evidence of the criminal activity,” Sheriff Ivey explained.

Following that review, an arrest warrant was issued.

Ridings was arrested on New Year’s Eve in Daytona Beach and remains in custody. He is currently being held on a bond set at $300,000.

Public Reaction and Cruise Line Response

News of the arrest has sparked strong reactions online, with many expressing relief that the investigation led to charges and calling for further action against anyone involved in the creation of the videos.

“This world sure has a lot of sick people in it. Glad he’s in jail,” one commenter wrote.

Sheriff Ivey also addressed the case bluntly in his statement: “C’mon man, who in their right mind would want to look at or show his buddies that kind of disgusting, sick, vile, demented videos?”

As with all criminal cases, Ridings is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Carnival Cruise Line has not issued a public statement regarding the incident, though the company has a long-standing policy of cooperating fully with law enforcement investigations when requested.

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