Florida law enforcement operation nets 48 pedophiles and sexual predators www.privateofficer.com

 

 

TAMPA Fla Dec 16 2011
A statewide law enforcement effort targeting pedophiles netted 48 suspects over the past six months, and authorities said the merger of two state agencies will only mean more arrests in the future.

The announcement of the arrests heralding the end of Operation Amalgamate was made Thursday morning at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement headquarters in Tampa. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi took part.

“Sexual predators are everywhere,” she said.

Among those charged: a Transportation Security Administration worker, a church treasurer and a teacher’s aide. They came from as far away as Colorado and as close as Tampa.

“It’s a sad reality of the society we are living in in this country,” Bondi said. “In

Florida, all we can do is lock them up, for life, if possible.”

The arrests include those who downloaded computer images of child pornography to those arranging meetings with children for sex.

Bondi said the operation was the first one undertaken after the Attorney General’s Office’s Child Predator Cyber Crime Unit merged with the FDLE’s Computer Crime Center. There are some 25 investigators fanned out across the state. They monitor chat rooms and social media sites and investigate complaints of inappropriate cyber conversations between children and others.

“I’m pleased that this unit is ridding our streets of these predators,” she said.

FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey said the operation opened 100 cases, which resulted in the 48 arrests. All of the defendants were arrested independently of each other, and no child pornography rings were broken up, he said.

Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy, also a director with the Florida Sheriff’s Association, said that since 2010 more than 250 suspects have been arrested on child-sex charges, and that’s due to a number of reasons. Law enforcement is more knowledgeable in computer crimes, and parents and children are more aware of the dangers that can lurk on the Internet.

“This is the 800-pound gorilla that is coming after our little girls and boys,” he said.

While law enforcement can do its part, it’s the education for children and parents that is key, he said.

Schools are offering courses in how to detect danger online, he said, and parents are monitoring more and more what their children are looking at on computers and cellphones.

Special Agent Supervisor Mike Phillips of FDLE’s Computer Crime Center said that education is paying off.

“Kids are now telling predators online that they are not interested,” he said, and even alerting parents and law enforcement in some cases.

The following people were charged, according to an FDLE news release.

Christopher M. Barnes, 24, Tampa; Barnes, two of counts computer pornography, one count attempted sexual battery.

Karl Edwin Belledent, 15, North Miami; one count computer pornography, four counts of sexual battery, four counts of sexual performance by a child, one count of extortion.

Michael D. Billings, 42, Leesburg; two counts of computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Richard Dennis Blyth, 64, Daytona Beach; two counts of computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Cristy Brandstedter, 62, Land O’ Lakes; 10 counts of child pornography.

James Michael Briggs, 50, Fort Myers; two counts of computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Gene Hamilton Brown, 50, Cantonment; three counts of child pornography.

Kris Karl Brown, 36, arrested in Broward County; 20 counts of child pornography, one count of computer pornography.

Michael Robert Brown, 31, Dade City; two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device, one count of cannabis less than 20 grams, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Alvin Grullon Bueno, 30, North Lauderdale; 25 counts of child pornography.

Dustin S. Calloway, 25, arrested in Leon County; no arrest affidavit

Ricky Lamar Carver, 40, Jacksonville; five counts of computer pornography.

Anthony Chu, 24, Orlando; 10 counts of child pornography.

Zachary Coons, 18, arrested in Leon County; two counts of computer pornography.

Steven Robert Deloge, 37, Jacksonville; one count of computer pornography.

Nelson Echevarria, 31, arrested in Broward County; one count of cannabis less than 20 grams, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Sherif El-Refai, Sherif, 24, Tampa; two counts of computer pornography, one count of attempt lewd and lascivious assault.

Carlos Alberto Figueroa, 26, Miami; three counts/violations of Florida Sexual Predator Act.

Douglas Fluery, 58, Sunrise; two counts of computer pornography, one count of attempt lewd and lascivious assault, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Donald Williams Fochs Jr., 38, New Port Richey; one count of solicitation of a minor for sex acts.

Omar Gutierrez, 28, arrested in Orange County; two counts of computer pornography.

Richard Hudnall, 55, Jacksonville; two counts of computer pornography.

Michael Ingersoll, 27; Arvada, Colo.; two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Jason Jarrell, 31, Tallahassee, Florida; two counts of computer pornography.

Edward L. Kalinowski, 59, Daytona Beach; two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Phillip Michael Kessler, 35, arrested in Bay county; no arrest affidavit.

Eric Joseph Lentovich, 36, Fort Myers; two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Hecton Ramon Leon, 46, Greenacre; 10 counts of child pornography.

Christian Martinet, 24, Pembroke Pines; 30 counts of child pornography.

Jorge M. Martinez Jr., 22, West Park; one count of child pornography, one count of computer pornography.

Rickey O. Masters, 65, Hollywood, Fla.; 10 counts of child pornography.

Scott Andrew Milboer, 33, Naples; two counts of computer pornography, one count of attempt lewd and lascivious assault, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Stephen Mizner, 41, Sarasota; two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device, one count of attempted sexual battery.

Mario Dwayne Moss, 33, Lake City; 10 counts of child pornography.

Curtis Orr, 41, arrested in Broward County; 24 counts of child pornography.

Marcus F. Peixoto De Almeida, 38, Hallandale Beach; 20 counts of child pornography.

Jorge Arturo Perez, 28, Boca Raton; possession of child pornography.

Paul David Rains, 62, Orlando; 10 counts of child pornography.

James F. Rees, 51, Deltona; two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Donovan A. Sauleda, 25, arrested in Wakulla; no arrest affidavit.

Dean A. Shelley, 52; Palm Harbor; two counts of computer pornography, one count of attempt capital sexual battery.

Kevin A. Stowell, 53, Port Richey; 10 counts of child pornography.

Michael Torres, 35, Oakland Park; 30 counts of child pornography.

Francisco Javier Vela, 34, Greenacre; one count of child pornography.

Robert Lee Walker Jr., 34, Orlando; 10 counts of child pornography.

Harvey White, 58, arrested in Broward County; 10 counts of child pornography.

Leon White, 59, Davenport; 10 Counts of child pornography.

Source:tbo.com

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