A 22-year-old Marion County man, who was nabbed during a multi-agency online child sex sting operation in July, has entered a guilty plea.
On Thursday, November 20, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that Ocklawaha resident Clayton Lee Harris has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, in July of 2025, undercover law enforcement officers contacted dozens of men who were seeking to engage in sexual activities with children. During the operation, which was dubbed “Seek and Ye Shall Find,” the undercover officers engaged in conversations with the men while posing as teens between the ages of 13 and 15.
One of those men was Harris.
Court records show that Harris contacted an undercover officer on an online dating website on Saturday, July 26. The officer was posing as a 14-year-old girl.
The arrest report stated that Harris engaged in online conversations with the undercover officer that quickly turned sexual. In addition, the report mentioned that Harris sent a video of himself to the officer that showed his “erect penis covered by a blanket.”
While communicating with the undercover officer, Harris agreed to meet the “girl” at a local gas station for a sexual encounter, and he mentioned that he was going to bring condoms.
Shortly after Harris arrived at the gas station, he was met by law enforcement officers and taken into custody. During an interior search of Harris’ vehicle, officers found condoms that had recently been purchased, according to the report.
Harris was placed under arrest and booked into Marion County Jail. He remains in custody while awaiting his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
Harris is facing a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.