Orange County Child Sex Sting Results in the Arrest of 31 Men

An undercover child-sex operation conducted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the arrest of 31 men allegedly looking to have sex with children they contacted online.

Police claim one of the men arrested is a soldier with the Florida National Guard from Lakeland who traveled to Orange County with the hopes of having sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Detectives pretending to be the girl’s stepfather posted an advertisement online offering sex with the child.

The man allegedly contacted an undercover deputy through e-mails and text messages. A meeting was apparently arranged, and once the man showed up at the designated location he was immediately taken down by deputies.

All other suspects were also arrested immediately after arriving at the home staged by undercover officials during the weeklong sting.

The sting, called Operation Spiderweb 2, is the latest in a series of undercover child-sex stings conducted by local agencies participating in the statewide Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

Criminal charges erupting from an undercover computer sting, such as traveling to meet a minor must be defended aggressively. The consequences of a conviction, including prison time and mandatory registration as a sex offender or predator, can haunt a person for the rest of their lives. The damage to a person’s professional and personal life can be equally as devastating. The government takes these charges quite seriously and often enforces the maximum penalties. In order to best protect your rights and best interests, it is important to swiftly contact a Florida Traveling to Meet a Minor Defense Attorney.

Because sex crimes are often exaggerated by the media, the public tends to view those accused of Internet sex crimes against children as guilty, even if they are innocent. These undercover computer sting operations tend to target unknowing and unsuspecting individuals who may not be looking for sex at all. In fact, police pretending to a minor or a parent or guardian of a minor often manipulate any conversation that transpires and turns it into an Internet solicitation charge. If this is the case, you may be a victim of entrapment.

If you or someone you love has been caught in a child-sex sting anywhere in the state of Florida, a Florida Sex Crimes Lawyer at Whittel & Melton can help you identify if your case involves police entrapment. Even if there is considerable evidence against you, we can launch an aggressive line of defense so that you receive a favorable resolution. Contact us immediately online or dial us statewide and toll-free at 866-608-5529.