POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Law enforcement agencies across Central Florida arrested and charged six men, including a daycare worker, last month during a sting operation where the suspects traveled to meet children for unlawful sexual activity.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Lakeland Police Department, Haines City Police Department, Tampa Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and Orange County Sheriff’s Office detectives conducted a seven-day-long undercover operation beginning Sept. 19, where detectives posed as children or guardians of children on social media platforms, mobile apps, and online dating sites to investigate people who prey upon children.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, six suspects showed up at an undercover location in Polk County attempting to sexually batter children.

Three of the six suspects wanted to pay an adult hundreds of dollars to have sex with whom they thought was a child, the released stated. Those three were charged with human trafficking, a life felony.

Law enforcement said three of the suspects brought condoms with them, three are married and three have children. In all, the detectives filed 22 felony charges against the suspects.

Suspects Arrested:

1. 40-year-old Jairo Muniz of Kissimmee, who works as a laborer at a scaffolding company, was charged with:

  • One count traveling to meet a minor for sex
  • One count attempted lewd battery
  • One count transmission of material harmful to a minor
  • One count use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony

He was released from jail on Sept. 24 after posting bond.

 

2. 36-year-old Timothy Wellman of Polk County, an Army veteran, was charged with:

  • One count traveling to meet a minor for sex
  • One count attempted lewd battery
  • One count use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony

 

3. 49-year-old Feras Klisli of Davenport, who works as an Uber driver, was charged with:

  • One count traveling to meet a minor for sex
  • One count attempted lewd battery
  • One count use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony

He was released from jail on Sept. 24 after posting bond.

 

4. 46-year-old Douglas Da Silva of Windermere, who works as an Uber Eats driver and owns a house cleaning business with his wife, was charged with:

  • One count human trafficking
  • One count traveling to meet a minor for sex
  • One count use of computer to solicit guardian of child for sex
  • One count use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony

Da Silva also said he has been in the U.S. for four years and is awaiting confirmation of his green card.

 

5. 33-year-old Trevor Walker of Orlando, who works at Publix distribution in Orlando, was charged with:

  • One count human trafficking
  • One count traveling to meet a minor for sex
  • One count use of computer to solicit guardian of child for sex
  • One count use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony

 

6. 26-year-old Douglas Cooley of Apopka, who works at an after-school daycare in Apopka, was charged with:

  • One count human trafficking
  • One count traveling to meet a minor for sex
  • One count use of computer to solicit guardian of child for sex
  • One count use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony

 

Cooley’s place of employment, Discover After School, sent out a statement in regards to his recent arrest. He has since been terminated. 

Discover After School statement on recent arrest of Douglas Cooley