‘Sick, depraved world we live in’: 14 arrested in child predator operation, sheriff says
Fourteen people are in custody after a child predator operation that started on Thursday in Volusia County.
By Pamela Comme
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VOLUSIA COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Fourteen people are in custody after a child predator operation that started on Thursday in Volusia County.
Within just 15 minutes of launching, detectives already had one bite. And within the hour, Volusia County deputies had three people in handcuffs.
“It tells you what a sick, depraved world we live in,” said Sheriff Mike Chitwood.
“It’s very concerning,” added Capt. Paul Kammerer, with the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. “From the law enforcement side, it’s great. They’re doing their job and they’re catching bad guys. But it’s scary that within an hour, that there are people out there who are looking for kids.”
From Thursday through Saturday, a team of detectives monitored social media sites for anyone trying to meet up with teens under the age of 16. Chitwood said this is one of their most successful operations to date.
They arrested people from across the county and even neighboring ones. Chitwood said one man was visiting with his family from North Carolina.
“Imagine you’re a father, you’re on vacation with your wife and your kids, and you’re online soliciting sex from a minor,” said Chitwood. “Yeah, I think that just sums up really what this investigation or what this operation was all about and what it was attracting.
The sheriff says two suspects even tried to escape when they were caught.
“Deputy Eric Dolan was pinned between the bad guy’s car … trying to take him into custody,” said Chitwood. “He suffered a broken foot. And in another one, where they went, they would extract the guy out of the car. He put the car in drive and tried to get away.”
The sheriff said to always keep an eye on your kids’ social media.
“Being a helicopter parent is not a bad thing,” said Chitwood. “You gotta know what your child is doing online.”
The defendants arrested as part of the operation:
Julio Cesar Real Chavarria, 33, South Daytona (Nicaraguan national; ICE detainer placed) Mathieu Merveil Kouatonou, 29, Orlando Niegel George Johnson, 28, Daytona Beach Moshe Josue Delgado Juarez, 25, Ocala Sourab Chilakamarri, 26, Daytona Beach Reinaldo Ray Medina Jr., 31, South Daytona Carlos George Guebara, 51, DeLand Kenneth Leon Baldwin Jr., 39, Daytona Beach Thomas Edward McKee, 39, Port Orange Patrick James Concree, 40, Kissimmee Francisco Javier Jurado, 33, Orange City Robert Scott Shipley Jr., 26, Vero Beach Joseph Alan Williamson, 55, Port Orange Joshua Lee Walker, 45, Lexington, N.C.
Operation Travel to Gavel was a joint effort of VSO with the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Port Orange PD, South Daytona PD, Lake City PD, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, FDLE, and the State Attorney’s Office for the 7th Judicial Circuit.
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