An Ocala athletic trainer’s license was suspended this week, more than two weeks after the state cleared him of child pornography possession charges against him.

The Florida Department of Health issued an emergency order to suspend James Lee Danio’s license to practice athletic training on Monday, May 12.

In late March, Danio, who is 55 years old, was arrested and charged with three counts of possession of child pornography. According to the arrest affidavit in the case, he was accused by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of uploading a file of suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in July 2024.

The affidavit suggests that, although the investigation into the uploaded material took place between July and October 2024, a search warrant wasn’t issued in the case until March 2025.

During execution of that search warrant in March, Danio, who lives with his mother, admitted that he had traded his phone in at BestBuy or Office Depot in the preceding year.

When asked whether he viewed pornography on the device, the arrest affidavit states that he said “he no longer views pornography, and he is ‘free and delivered’ from watching pornography.”

Over the entirety of the three-page arrest affidavit, the interviewing deputy asked multiple questions about Danio’s sexual and pornographic viewings, during which Danio gave varying answers.

After conducting an interview, Danio was arrested and booked at the Marion County Jail. He bonded out on March 26, 2025, and on March 31, he entered a plea of not guilty in the case.

On April 25, the following announcement of “no information” was filed with the court:

“Although there was probable cause to arrest, after further review of the facts and circumstances of the case, the State will not proceed with prosecution because the likelihood of conviction at trial is slight.”

Two weeks after the charges were dropped, on May 12, FDOH filed its order of emergency suspension, citing the case in question.

“Mr. Danio’s possession of child pornography, which is a known detriment to the wellbeing of the child victims involved, indicates that he lacks the good judgment and moral character necessary to be an athletic trainer. Therefore, Mr. Danio’s continued practice as an athletic trainer in Marion County, Florida, presents a risk of immediate, serious danger to the health, safety, and welfare of the public,” reads a statement from the state’s administrative complaint.

The complaint goes on to cite Florida Statutes Section 456.074(5)(u), which states that the department “shall issue an emergency order suspending the license of any health car practitioner who is arrested for committing or attempting, soliciting, or conspiring to commit any act that would constitute a violation of section 827.071, relating to sexual performance by a child.”

Now, a proceeding seeking the formal discipline of Danio’s license to practice athletic training in the state will be “promptly instituted and acted upon in compliance” with Florida law, according to the complaint.