For the third time in as many days, we’ve learned about arrests stemming from undercover law enforcement activity targeting people trying to meet children for sex.
Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams says “Operation Blue Hawk” was carried out in late July, targeting men talking online with who they thought were children between 12 and 14, but were actually law enforcement. The suspects arranged to travel to meet the children.
“For what they thought was going to be a sexual encounter with a minor, they were taken in to custody by law enforcement officers,” says JSO Homeland Security Chief Ron Lendvay.
JSO took 11 suspects in to custody as part of the first phase of the investigation. In the second phase, they detained a Kingsland man in Jacksonville, and had other suspects arrested in Deltona, Port Orange, St. Augustine, according to Lendvay. A suspect from Clay County has not been caught.
The men face a range of felony charges, including using a computer to solicit, seduce, or entice a child to commit sex acts; traveling to meet a child after seducing, soliciting, or enticing for sex; transmission of harmful material to a minor; and unlawful use of two-way communication devices.
One suspect, Matthew Baumgardener, is also facing a child pornography charge for allegedly bringing digital child porn with him when he traveled to meet the minor for sex. Another suspect, Clifton Markey, has been charged with child neglect, because Lendvay says he left a 6-year-old unattended to travel to meet the minor for sex.
“We’re not done yet, additional offenders have been identified,” Lendvay says, adding “we do expect further arrests.”
The suspects arrested in the initial phase all live in or were visiting Jacksonville, with the exception of one who lived in Ocala. They’ve been identified as Abdulelah Aldagher, Matthew Baumgardner, Jerry Bryant, Gregory Desir, Charles Johnson, Kyle Judd, Clifton Markey, Kyle O’Key, Sean Scardasis, Skye Simmons, and Michael Wright.
Williams says operations like this highlight the need for you to closely monitor your child’s communications online and talk openly with them about internet safety.
The Gainesville Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Internet Crimes Against Children North Florida, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Orange Park Police Department, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and Tallahassee Police Department all partnered with JSO for this investigation.
On Monday, we told you about 13 arrests in Volusia County for an undercover operation similar to what was conducted in Jacksonville. A St. Augustine man was among those arrested in that operation for allegedly traveling to meet who he thought was a young girl for sex. On Tuesday, we learned another St. Johns County man was also discovered in that Volusia County operation, and was arrested as a result.
