A fifth-grade teacher and a registered sex offender are among the nearly 40 men arrested in a Polk County internet sting aimed at rooting out sex crimes against children.
Called Operation Cyber Child, the 10-day sting netted 38 arrests, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. This was the ninth such operation and it netted the largest number of arrests, Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news conference Monday.
Led by to the Polk sheriff's office, the operation was conducted during the first 10 days of June by 14 law enforcement agencies across central Florida. Most of the men arrested came from outside Polk Couny.
Thirty to 40 deputies and law enforcement officers chatted with suspects online through instant messages or websites such as Craigslist, sheriff's officials said. They also responded to ads of adults looking to have sex with a minor.
Judd said two of those arrested brought firearms when they showed up to meet children. Those arrested ranged in age from 19 to 51, and they believed they were meeting children as young as 11. Suspects were caught with Skittles, bondage tools and alcohol.
"As they say in my world, they (sex offenders) have a hitch in their giddy-up,'' Judd said. "They are not normal people. These are all pedophiles, they are all dangerous, they are all out trying to have sex with very young children. They will even walk boldly into your home when they think you are not there to attack your child."
Authorities said one man was arrested after traveling from Chicago to Orlando to meet up with an under-age teen. Investigators said the man took his family on a vacation to Disney World, then snuck out to meet up with someone he thought was a child he met online.
In another case, a fifth-grade public school teacher was arrested.
One man arrested was a Disney security guard. Another wanted to buy a 14-year-old girl, believing he saw an opportunity to make money.
During the operation, undercover detectives posted fictitious ads or profiles on various websites (such as Craigslist) posing as children, or as custodians of children.
Officials said the suspects solicited for sex acts, sent pornographic pictures and live web-cam images of themselves, and asked for nude photos of the children to be sent to them.
Several of the men drove to the house to follow through with the promises made online to engage in sexual activity with the juveniles.
A list of those arrested in the sting courtesy Polk County Sheriff's Office:
Steven Allen, age 29, Orlando
John Bandel, 33, Addison, Ill.
Luis Bermudez, 46, Davenport
Jason Bouck, 36, Sherrill, N.Y.
Casimiro Carino, 25, Orlando
Matthew Chillcott, 43, Orlando
Daniel Cintron, 25, Winter Garden
David Cook, 50, Lake Hamilton
William Corley, 37, Winter Garden
Richard Corti, 42Maitland
Jason Crain, 37, Orlando
Anthony David, 24, Tampa
Walter Exantus, 19, Fort Benning, Ga.
Larry Falde, 46, Casselberry
Justin Franco, 20, Winter Springs
Richard Green, 32, Lakeland
Rueben Jaime, 26, Orlando
Christopher Jekov, 23, Deltona
Dong-Kyu Kang, 23Unknown
Ryan Loewen, 27, Melbourne
Phil Luna, 52, San Jose, Calif.
Jean Marc Luxcien, 30, Orlando
Michael Maskalenko, 27, Orlando
Randy May, 46, Lake Wales
Kenneth McCracken, 21,Titusville
Mark Noethen, 22, Orlando
Anthony Ochoa, 33, Kissimmee
Joshua Rivas, 21, Poinciana
Javier Rosario, 48, Haines City
Collin Rosser, 22, Orlando
Zleyman Sanchez, 21, St. Cloud
Omee Santiago, 24, Kissimmee
Wilson Silva, 31, Brooksville
Todd Simmerman, 22, Titusville
Johnny Thomas, 28, Palmetto
Shaun Unertl, 20, Orlando
Michael Wells, 25, Altamonte Springs
Warren White, 30, St. Mary’s, Ga.