ST. PETERSBURG — Four men were arrested after police say they traveled to meet who they believed were children for sex.
City police detectives conducted an undercover operation called “Spooky Surprise,” in which they posed as 14- and 15-year-old boys and girls in online chat rooms and on websites used for human trafficking and connecting with minors.
The men chatted with detectives they believed were children, agreed to meet for sex and drove to a designated location, where they were arrested, police said.
Thomas Ray Hill, 55, faces charges of human trafficking, traveling to meet a minor and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Mathias Padilla, 44, was charged with traveling to meet a minor, unlawful use of a two-way communications device and seduction of a child using the internet or an electronic device.
Tahquill Battle, 28, faces charges of traveling to meet a minor and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Brandon Farrow, 32, was charged with traveling to meet a minor, transmission of harmful material to a minor and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.