During a seven-day joint-agency undercover operation led by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office focusing on those who prey upon and travel to meet children for unlawful sexual activity, and human trafficking, 281 suspects were arrested for a multitude of felonies: 239 arrests were related to soliciting prostitutes, offering to commit prostitution, and aiding/abetting or transporting prostitutes; 31 arrests were related to child sexual predators; and 11 other arrests were made.
The suspects were charged with a total of 198 felonies and 290 misdemeanors. Their previous criminal charges totaled 358 felonies and 440 misdemeanors.
PCSO detectives were joined by investigators from the Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; Attorney General James Uthmeier Office of Statewide Prosecution; Florida Department of Financial Services; State Attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit Brian Haas; and detectives from the Auburndale Police Department, Bartow Police Department, Davenport Police Department, Lakeland Police Department, Lake City Police Department, Lake Wales Police Department, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division, and the U.S. Secret Service.
17 of the suspects told detectives they work at local theme parks or resorts, including Disney World and Universal Studios – 7 of these suspects were child sex predators. 32 illegal aliens were arrested, from 9 different countries. 22 suspects are collecting public assistance – $8,373 per month collectively (which equates to $100,476 per year).
There were 117 suspects arrested for soliciting a prostitute and traveling to the undercover location to negotiate having sex in exchange for money. One is an Orange County Deputy Sheriff, Eric Raymond.
The 122 suspects who travelled to commit prostitution were screened by detectives and the social service organizations One More Child and the Florida Department of Children and Families to determine if they were being trafficked or exploited by others, and all were offered services. During this investigation, 11 human trafficking victims were identified.
31 suspects communicated with and solicited who they thought were children or guardians of children online, and were very explicit about what they wanted to do in order to sexually batter those children.
“It is extremely disturbing when we encounter nasty child predators like these who are very eager to have sex with children. This is why we conduct these types of undercover operations. During this investigation, we arrested 7 predators who work at local theme parks, and a children’s football and cheerleading coach. This is why it’s critically important that parents continually monitor not only their children’s online activities, but also to know who the adults are in your children’s lives. Keeping children safe is our number one priority, and we appreciate our partnering agencies, without whom we would not be as successful in apprehending these dangerous offenders.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
HIGHLIGHTED ARRESTS FROM THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING INVESTIGATION:
Eric Raymond, 40, from Winter Garden, FL. Raymond has been an Orange County deputy sheriff for six years, and is currently assigned as a school resource deputy at Independence Elementary School. He answered an online ad placed by an undercover detective, and agreed to pay her $110.00 to have unprotected sex during a “quick visit.” He told detectives he is married. He was charged with one count solicitation of a prostitute (M1). “Orange County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Eric Raymond should have known better. His actions demonstrate moral turpitude. The online prostitution industry enables and empowers human traffickers, allowing them to profit off the people they exploit. Our goal is to identify victims, offer them help, and arrest those who are fueling the exploitation of human beings like Eric Raymond and those profiting from the exploitation of human beings. Prostitution is not a victimless crime – it results in human exploitation, misery, disease, dysfunction, drug and alcohol addiction, violence, and broken families.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Tony Rossman, 51, of Emporium, PA. Rossman answered an online ad placed by an undercover detective and agreed to pay her $100.00 for a half-hour of sex with a condom. Upon his arrest, he asked detectives if he could call his wife, because he dropped her off at a Walmart in Clermont to shop; he told her he was going to get a massage. Detectives contacted family members to pick her up. He was charged with one count solicitation of a prostitute (M1).
Clarence Fluker, Jr., 53, of Leesburg, FL. Fluker answered an online ad placed by an undercover detective and agreed to pay her $100.00 for a half-hour of sex with a condom. Upon his arrest, he told detectives he was divorced. After his arrest, Sheriff Judd received an email from a woman who stated she was his estranged wife and that he has a “serious addiction to sex workers, porn, and now methamphetamine.” She asked Sheriff Judd to highlight his arrest during the news conference. She said “Clarence has always been able to talk his way out of prior arrests ranging from sex crimes to possession charges” and that he was supposed to travel to Virginia to meet his first grandchild on the weekend he was arrested by the Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with one count solicitation of a prostitute (M1).
CHILD SEXUAL PREDATOR SUSPECTS ARRESTED: (in alphabetical order with one exception)
24-year-old Adam Snyder, DOB 5/17/2002, of Champions Gate, FL. Snyder sent social media messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old boy. Snyder told the undercover detective he wanted to “make out and cuddle and oral.” Snyder drove to the undercover location, where he was taken into custody without incident. He told detectives he works at Disney World in Toy Story Land, and part of his uniform as well as his Disney badge were found in his vehicle. Snyder was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
25-year-old Alex Camacho, DOB 5/20/2001, of Kissimmee, FL. Camacho sent text messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. After the UC told Camacho she was only 14, he told the UC he was into “kissing, cuddling, 69, BJ, anal, scent play, and pet play” as well as his favorite different sexual positions. He drove to the undercover location and brought condoms and a Mountain Dew for the “girl.” He told detectives he works at Disney World in food services. Camacho was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
27-year-old Anthony Lagree, DOB 3/18/1999, of Apopka, FL. Lagree sent social media messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. After making several comments about how he could go to jail for coming to see her, and saying he wanted to have sex with her, Lagree drove to the undercover location and was taken into custody and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3).
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
22-year-old Branden Colon, DOB 2/4/2004, of Davenport, FL. Colon communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He had a sexually charged conversation during which he disclosed the sex acts he wanted to perform on the child. He drove to the undercover location where he was taken into custody. He was charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
27-year-old Brandon Quispe, DOB 11/22/1998, of Davenport, FL. Quispe communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He had a sexually charged conversation during which he disclosed the sex acts he wanted to perform on the child. He was taken into custody; he told detectives he works at Disney World in human resources. He was charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
42-year-old Brian Henry Jones, DOB 2/26/1984, of Davenport, FL. Jones communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He sent a photo of his penis to the UC and said he loved “making out, cuddling, breeding, body worship, and feet play.” He sent extremely graphic messages about what he wanted to do to the child. He brought “poppers” and candy bars for the child. He drove to the undercover location and was taken into custody, where he told detectives he was nervous because he has watched Chris Hansen videos in the past. Jones was charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Possession with intent to inhale harmful chemicals (M2)
28-year-old Colin Gormican, DOB 11/4/1997, of Davenport, FL. Gormican sent social media messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old boy. Gormican sent sexually explicit messages to the UC about what he wanted to do with the boy. Upon his arrest, he told detectives that he works at the Slinky dog ride at Disney World. He was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
24-year-old Collin Klaco, DOB 3/2/2002, of Clermont, FL. Klaco communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He said he loved “wetting accidents, sex, blowjobs, hand jobs, diaper changing time sex, potty training time blowjobs, getting bred, being diapered up, and being diaper changed.” He said he wanted to do something in a public family restroom. He drove to the undercover location and was taken into custody; detectives found diapers and wipes in a backpack that he carried into the house. He told detectives he used to dress up as Mickey Mouse at Disney World. Klaco was charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
36-year-old Cornilous Merritt, DOB 9/6/1990, of Tampa, FL. Merritt sent messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. He sent nude photos and videos of himself to the UC and told her he would bring drugs to insert inside her to make her “stupid horny.” Merritt and a friend of his (Rumley Moore**) drove to the undercover location where Merritt was taken into custody and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Transmit harmful material to minor (F3)
Possession of meth (F3)
Possession of drug paraphernalia (M1)
**Rumley Moore III drove to the undercover location with suspect Cornilous Merritt. He was arrested and charged with possession of meth (F3), possession of drug paraphernalia (M1), and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony (F2)
24-year-old Dang Thai, DOB 1/9/2002, of Jacksonville, FL. Thai is a petty officer third class (E-4) in the U.S. Navy and stationed in Jacksonville. He sent messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. He told the UC that he was 17 years old. He made several statements that he thought this was a sting, but also encouraged the UC to sneak out of her house and meet him so they could have sex in his car. Thai brought condoms when he arranged to meet the girl. He was taken into custody and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child and misrepresent age (F2)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
27-year-old Derrick Opitz, DOB 1/19/1999, of Merritt Island, FL. Opitz communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He sent sexually explicit messages about what he wanted to do with the boy and offered to pay the guardian $500.00. Opitz was taken into custody and charged with:
Human trafficking (FL)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
29-year-old Hernan Sanchez Rangel, DOB 8/24/1997, of Davenport, FL**. Rangel is in the country illegally from Venezuela.** He communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He sent sexually explicit messages about what he wanted to do with the boy. Rangel was taken into custody and charged; each of his charges is enhanced due to his illegal status:
Traveling to meet a minor (F1)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F2)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F2)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F2)
28-year-old James Robinson, DOB 4/4/1998, of Tampa, FL. Robinson sent social media messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl, as well as nude photos and a video of himself masturbating. He told her he wanted to record himself having sex with her. He told detectives he has a three-year-old son. He was arrested and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Transmission of material harmful to a minor (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
23-year-old Jazic Bozzuto, DOB 7/27/2003, of Davenport, FL. Bozzuto sent social media messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. He told her she looks like she “gives good head.” He told detectives he has a three-year-old son. He was arrested and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Transmission of material harmful to a minor (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
42-year-old Juan Mangual Rivera, DOB 3/2/1984, of Haines City, FL**.** He communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He sent sexually explicit messages about what he wanted to do with the boy and a photo of his penis. Rivera was taken into custody and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
42-year-old Kenneth Smith Jr., DOB 10/5/1984, of Davenport, FL. Smith sent social media messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. He told her he wanted the “full experience” and if she behaved like an adult that he would treat her like one. He brought condoms to the undercover location. He was arrested and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Transmission of material harmful to a minor (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
51-year-old Kevin Sims, DOB 10/11/1975, of Davenport, FL**.** He initiated an online conversation with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy by sending two photos of his penis. He said that he was horny and wanted to come have sex with the boy. Sims was taken into custody and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
32-year-old Matthew Miller, DOB 11/30/1993, of Jacksonville, FL**.** He communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He sent sexually explicit messages about what he wanted to do with the boy, then he and his co-defendant Samuel Ekkawi video-chatted with the UC. Both suspects showed up near undercover location and were taken into custody. They told detectives they were vacationing together in Orlando. Miller was charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Possession of meth (F3)
Possession with intent to inhale harmful chemicals (M2)
Possession of drug paraphernalia (M1)
36-year-old Samuel Ekkawi, DOB 10/14/1990, of Jacksonville, FL**.** He and Matthew Miller communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. Both suspects showed up near the undercover location and were taken into custody. Ekkawi disclosed upon his arrest that he is HIV positive; he was charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Attempted HIV infected person having sex with uninformed person (M1)
33-year-old Nicholas Formica, DOB 7/8/1993, of Orlando, FL**.** He communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He sent very explicit sexual messages regarding what he wanted to do to the child. Formica was taken into custody and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
22-year-old Odlanier Marrero Rodriguez, DOB 9/22/2004, of Kissimmee, FL. Rodriguez communicated online with an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old girl. He offered to pay the guardian one ounce of marijuana for an hours’ worth of sex with the child. Rodriguez was taken into custody and charged with:
Human trafficking (FL)
Traveling to meet a minor after use of computer to solicit guardian (F2)
Use of a computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Possession of marijuana over 20 grams (F3)
26-year-old Randy Brunet, DOB 1/25/2000, of Kissimmee, FL**.** He sent online messages to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He discussed wanting to trade in child pornography and have sex with the boy. Detectives found child sexual abuse material on his cell phone when he arrived. He told detectives he works at various Disney resorts, including the Swan and Dolphin. Brunet was taken into custody and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor after use of computer to solicit guardian (F2)
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
60 counts enhanced possession of CSAM (child pornography) (F2)
31-year-old Rashion Crayton, DOB 7/10/1995, of Bartow, FL. Crayton is the head coach of the Davenport Titans, within the Mid-Florida youth conference football and cheer, coaching kids between the ages of 11 and 14 years old. Crayton sent extremely explicit sexual messages to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. He said they could do it in his car and that he was “tryna pull up and get a lil taste.” When Crayton arrived at the undercover location he had lubricant and sex toys consistent with what he wanted to do to her. He was taken into custody and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
35-year-old Robert Baxter, DOB 3/6/1991, of Lakeland, FL**.** He sent online messages to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He told the UC that he works at Tractor Supply in Haines City and asked the UC to bring the boy there so he could have sex with the boy in the bathroom. Baxter was taken into custody and charged with:
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
67-year-old Robert Schulz, DOB 5/2/1959, of Bartow, FL**. He is a retired (after 28 years) New York City firefighter.** He sent sexually explicit online messages to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He traveled to the undercover location and was combative when taken into custody; he asked for law enforcement to let him go as a “professional courtesy.” Schulz was taken into custody and charged with:
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Traveling to meet a minor after soliciting guardian (F2)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Battery on LEO (F3)
Resisting arrest (M1)
30-year-old Rodrigo Gustavo Perreira, DOB 8/27/1996, of Davenport, FL**. He is in the country from Brazil on a student visa studying theology in Los Angeles, CA**. He sent pictures of his penis to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy, saying he wanted the boy to “suck it.” He also video-chatted with the UC, during which he masturbated. Perreira traveled to the undercover location and was taken into custody; he brought “poppers.” He was charged with:
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Traveling to meet a minor after soliciting guardian (F2)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Possession with intent to inhale harmful chemicals (M2)
32-year-old Timothy John Komaromy, DOB 7/10/1994, of Winter Garden, FL**.** He sent pictures of his penis to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy, saying he was “horny af.” Komaromy traveled to the undercover location and was taken into custody. He was charged with:
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Traveling to meet a minor after soliciting guardian (F2)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
27-year-old Travis Webb, DOB 2/10/1999, of Orlando, FL. Webb sent online messages to and texted an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. He told her she was “fine af” and that money was tight so he could not afford to bring a condom but he would “pull out fr.” He was arrested and charged with:
Traveling to meet a minor (F2)
Use of computer to seduce a child (F3)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Use of a firearm during the commission of a felony (F2)
26-year-old Tyefeese Sanders Page, DOB 7/21/2000, of Orlando, FL**.** He sent online messages to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. After telling the UC he was open to being a top or a bottom with the child, he traveled to the undercover location and was taken into custody. He brought “poppers.” He was charged with:
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Traveling to meet a minor after soliciting guardian (F2)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Possession with intent to inhale harmful chemicals (M2)
26-year-old Tyrese Anthony Hill, DOB 3/26/2000, of Haines City, FL**.** He sent online messages to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He told the UC he was “leaving Epcot and seeing if anyone wants to meet up.” He told the UC he was into “hj, bj, topping, kissing, etc.” He traveled to the undercover location, where he was arrested and charged with:
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F3)
Traveling to meet a minor after soliciting guardian (F2)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
52-year-old William John Caruso III, DOB 10/6/1974, of Winter Garden, FL**.** He sent online messages to an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 13-year-old boy. He told the UC he wanted to have sex with the boy while the guardian watched. He traveled to the undercover location, where he was arrested and charged with:
Use of computer to solicit guardian (F3)
Traveling to meet a minor after soliciting guardian (F2)
Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony (F3)
Attempted lewd/lascivious battery on a minor (F2)
Possession of meth (F3)
Possession of drug paraphernalia (M1) |
