WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Ten people were arrested in a multi-agency child exploitation investigation dubbed “Operation Not a Fan.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced on Tuesday that it worked in collaboration with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The operation targeted suspects who were allegedly seeking to engage in sexual activity with minors. FDLE said over the course of several days, undercover agents posed as children online, leading to the arrests of ten men who traveled to meet what they believed were underage victims.
On October 7, authorities served the warrants and apprehended five suspects in Wakulla County, one suspect in Tallahassee and one suspect who was confirmed to already be incarcerated in the Taylor County Jail. The remaining warrant was executed on October 8th as the suspect was caught returning to Wakulla County from an alleged work trip, according to the news release.
Among those arrested were:
Houston Bennett, 38, sexual offenderCharles Deese, 28, sexual offenderJohn Haynes, 41, sexual offenderJoshua Martin, 39, sexual offenderRichard Messer, 52, sexual offenderSumanth Bala Rayapreddy, 41, sexual offenderJohn Sanders, 20, sexual offenderSpencer Tinson, 56, sexual offenderCarlton Willis, 63, sexual offenderShay Smith, 28, sexual predator
The suspects face various criminal counts, including:
Use of a computer to solicit a childTraveling to meet a minor for sexual activityTransmission of harmful material to a minor
All ten people were booked into the Walton County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are urging parents to monitor their children’s online activity and report any suspicious behavior.
See also: 9-year-old questioned over threatening note, Lake Worth father demands answers
FDLE encourages anyone with information related to child exploitation to contact their local law enforcement agency or submit tips through the FDLE website.
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