HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. – A Plant City man has been sentenced to five years in state prison for traveling to Hernando County with the intent to have sex with a minor, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
Juan Carlos Romero, 19, was sentenced on September 26, 2025, after being arrested in a multi-agency undercover sting operation in July 2024. Following his prison term, Romero will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case against Romero began on July 17, 2024, as part of “Operation Summer Scoop,” an initiative by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Section, Special Victims Unit. The operation targeted individuals seeking to exploit children online and resulted in the arrest of eight suspects…