Okaloosa Sheriff Arrests 14 for Attempted Child Sex Crimes

In Brief:

🚔 Undercover Sting Launched: Okaloosa Sheriff’s ICAC Unit conducts “Operation Dark Harvest” over two weeks to target online child predators, resulting in 14 arrests.
👮 Charges and Arrests Detailed: Men aged 25 to 60 face various felony charges including solicitation, travel to meet minors, and use of devices to facilitate crimes.
🛡️ Sheriff’s Message on Prevention: Sheriff Aden urges parents to monitor kids’ social media and gaming activities to prevent such exploitation.

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In a push to safeguard the community’s youngest members, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has wrapped up a two-week undercover sting dubbed “Operation Dark Harvest,” resulting in the arrest of 14 men accused of attempting to prey on children online for sexual purposes.

The operation, spearheaded by the office’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit, focused on identifying and apprehending individuals who used digital platforms to solicit minors. Sheriff Eric Aden emphasized the relentless nature of their efforts, stating, “We will never let up on our ongoing work to stop depraved adults who attempt to prey on young people. Parents can play a crucial role in prevention by monitoring their children’s usage of social media, including activities on gaming systems.”

Among those arrested were nine men charged with traveling to meet a child for sex, using a two-way device to facilitate a felony, and employing a computer to seduce, solicit, or lure a child: 41-year-old Marvin Felix, 48-year-old Miguel Giron-Diaz, 37-year-old Andrae Barrett, 30-year-old Kalesha Gullakanti, 28-year-old Tyner Akins, 27-year-old Emmanuel Rodriguez-Espinosa, 43-year-old Sephen Lee Wilaby, 45-year-old Melviin Saavedra-Vasquez, and 31-year-old Harvin Guzman Centeno.

Two others, 53-year-old James Ray Wells and 25-year-old Daeshon Fields, faced charges of using a computer to solicit the guardian of a child, traveling to meet a child for sex, and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.

Rounding out the arrests were 31-year-old Alexander Wardrop, 36-year-old Zachary Clapper, and 60-year-old James Hall, who were charged with using a computer to seduce, solicit, or lure a child and employing a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.

The sheriff’s office highlighted the operation’s success as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in online spaces, urging families to stay vigilant amid the rise of digital interactions. As investigations continue, authorities expect formal charges to be filed soon, with potential for additional arrests if more leads emerge.