LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- 18 people have been arrested for soliciting sex from children online.
The county sheriff's office arrested them between May 15th and 20th. They say the suspects ranged in age from 22-54. They say they used the internet and social media to prey on children.
Deputies say the operation, called Operation Picket Fences, took several months of planning. Three of the suspects were registered sex offenders. They say there are more arrests pending.
4 In Your Corner reached out to an attorney for more on the sex sting. Elizete Velado said that traveling to solicit a minor for sex is a second degree felony.
Velado said that unsavory characters first try to gain your child's trust.
"They want to get kids to tell them details about their lives," Velado said. "Once they are in a trusting friendship, that's when they escalate things," she added.
She hopes this latest sting motivates parents to take measures to protect their children.
"Keeping the computers out in the open, installing software that monitors your children's online sessions," Velado said. "But, the most important things is having an open and honest conversation with your kids," she added.
Arrested were:
36-year-old Estevan Balsamo, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
43-year-old Robert Blackwell, charged with Using computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
30-year-old Aaron Blumberg, charged with Using computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
23-year-old Chance Butner, charged with Using computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
42-year-old Carlos Canela, charged with charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
22-year-old Leon Chaney, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony, resisting with violence
33-year-old Sean Declet, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony, marijuana possession
30-year-old James Depasquale, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
31-year-old Thomas Hines, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
54-year-old Kevin Jonker, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
28-year-old Joseph Mainini,charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
46-year-old Sameh Mansour, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
41-year-old Robert Meaghan, charged with Using computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
50-year-old Paul Newport, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony, probation violation, aggravated battery
42-year-old Nicholas Porreca, charged with Using computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
48-year-old David Rodriguez, charged with travel to meet after use computer to lure child, use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
34-year-old Anthony Valdes, charged with Using computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony
23-year-old Karl Wehrheim, charged with Using computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after use computer to lure child, and use two-way communication device to facilitate felony. UPDATE: On December 11, 2019, Karl Wehrheim was found "not-guilty" by the Lee County Courts.
