Twelve people accused of seeking sex with children were nabbed in a Marion County Sheriff’s Office sting operation.
Each of the suspects made arrangements in the past several days to meet and have sex with a girl or a boy in Marion County between the ages of 13-15 years old, a sheriff’s office report states.
Eight of the men traveled to a location in Marion County to have sex with the child they thought they had been messaging online. Instead, they were met by law enforcement, placed in handcuffs and arrested. In addition, four men were arrested on warrants for transmitting harmful material to whom they believed were minors.
During the online interactions, all of the suspects engaged in lewd conversations with the “child” and described the sexual acts they wanted to perform with them. Some of them also sent sexually explicit photographs to the undercover officers.
“I will always use all my resources to hunt these evil predators down and bring them to justice,” Sheriff Billy Woods said. “I will continue to do everything I can to keep this evil from our children.”
Woods also sent a message to parents during a Monday press conference telling them they need to be “fully aware” of where their children are talking online and what social media sites they are using. He added that this might be a first offense for some of the 12 arrested but most likely not their first time of seeking sex with a minor.
“It’s not the first individual they have met up with and it’s probably not the first individual that they were going to have sex with,” Woods said.
The sheriff also offered a message to any child predators seeking minors for sex in Marion County.
“Be assured that I will find you,” he said. “I will put handcuffs on you and I will put you in my jail. My deputies will spend hours upon hours hunting you down. My job is bringing people to justice, but if it was my choice, I’d bury you under the jail if I could.”
Several other law enforcement agencies also participated in the sting operation. Those include the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Gainesville Police Department and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The Marion County sheriff’s office also receive support during the operation from LaBella’s Italian Piatto & Pizzeria, Chemistry Salon, Sonny’s Barbeque, Pasta Faire, RP Dental, Publix, Walmart and Raze Energy Drinks.
ARRESTED ON-SITE
Brayant McCullough, 33 (Anthony)
- Obscene Communication – Travel to meet After use Computer to Lure Child
- Obscene Communication – Use Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
- Use 2-way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony
- Operate Motor Vehicle without Valid License
Donald Dziadyk, 61 (Ocala)
- Obscene Communication – Travel to meet After use Computer to Lure Child
- Obscene Communication – Use Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
- Use 2-way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony
- Cruelty Towards Child- Transmit Info Harmful to Minors
Dunte Campbell, 31 (Jacksonville)
- Obscene Communication – Travel to meet After use Computer to Lure Child
- Obscene Communication – Use Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
- Use 2-way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Jason Sciongay, 34 (Hernando)
- Obscene Communication – Travel to meet After use Computer to Lure Child
- Obscene Communication – Use Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
- Use 2-way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony
Jorge Cruz Ordonez (33)
- Obscene Communication – Travel to meet After use Computer to Lure Child
- Obscene Communication – Use Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
- Use 2-way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony
Koree Lee, 26 (Ocala)
- Obscene Communication – Travel to meet After use Computer to Lure Child
- Obscene Communication – Use Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
- Use 2-way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony
Ryan Boyette, 25 (Spring Hills)
- Obscene Communication – Travel to meet After use Computer to Lure Child
- Obscene Communication – Use Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
- Use 2-way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony
- Cruelty Towards Child- Transmit Info Harmful to Minors
Lonny Blankenship, 51 (Lake City)
- Obscene Communication – Travel to meet After use Computer to Lure Child
- Obscene Communication – Use Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
- Use 2-way Communication Device to Facilitate a Felony
ARRESTED ON WARRANTS
Robert Salch, 22
- Use two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Transmit harmful material to a minor
Allen Vasquez, 18
- Transmit harmful material to a minor
Robin Strickland, 21
- Use a computer to solicit a child
- Use two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Transmit harmful material to a minor
Robert Hilse, 31
- Use two-way communication device to facilitate a felony
- Transmit harmful material to a minor