MARION COUNTY, FL – A multi-agency online sting operation led by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has resulted in the arrest of 40 men on numerous charges related to online child exploitation. The suspects face charges including Traveling to Meet a Minor for Illegal Sexual Conduct, Human Trafficking, and Using a Computer to Solicit a Child.
The operation involved undercover law enforcement officers who posed as children between the ages of 13 and 15. The men arrested engaged in sexually explicit conversations and arranged to meet the supposed minor. When they arrived at the predetermined location, they were met by law enforcement officers and taken into custody. According to the MCSO, some of the men traveled up to an hour with the intent of meeting a child.
During the arrests, deputies and detectives seized guns, drugs, cash, and vehicles from the offenders. The investigation remains active, and additional arrests are expected…