The Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), with assistance from the Ocala Police Department, Chiefland Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, recently concluded an online sting operation, resulting in the arrest of 33 men.
Law enforcement officers posed as children online and were contacted by multiple men seeking to engage in sexual activity with minors.
These men engaged in sexually explicit conversations and graphically described the sexual acts they hoped to perform with children.
Many suspects arranged to meet with what they believed to be children aged 13 to 15.
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Some even traveled from outside Florida to the arranged meeting places. During the operation, deputies and detectives seized guns, drugs, cash, and vehicles from the offenders. Two of the arrests were that of illegal aliens.
“Francisco Alvarez-Tello, an illegal alien. You know what he did? He laughed while we arrested him. And I want to keep something in mind: in law enforcement, we get called many things, we hear many things, and really nothing is ever a surprise, but to the detective, when this was occurring, his conversation to them was exceptionally disgusting,” said Woods.
“Now, anytime we have illegals, we contact all the appropriate Federal levels and the US Border Patrol in particular. Now, here’s what we learned from them. He is already in the process of deportation right now,” blasted Woods.
“In my eyes, there is no process for an illegal alien to do this to our children, there is no packing your shit. There is put his ass in something and getting him out of the United States. It is not going to be in my county and it should not be in this country, said Woods.
More arrests are expected as detectives continue to follow up on various cases.
“It always turns our stomachs to find individuals out there that are trying to prey on children here in Marion County,” said Woods. “Our message is clear; we will continue to devote our time and resources to bring these disgusting predators to justice. Child predators have only one place in Marion County, and that’s the Marion County Jail.” Sheriff Woods added, “Parents, in just one afternoon of this operation, we arrested nine people. Nine people who traveled to meet with a child for sex. Your children are their prey. Know what your child is doing on social media and online gaming.”
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