SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested more than 20 people during a four-day operation that deputies say was organized to go after human traffickers and predators who target children online.
The men arrested range in age from 21 to 77.
Deputies claim one of them, identified as John Inga, was visiting Florida from Oklahoma and drove from Lakeland to Sarasota to meet someone he thought was 14 years old. Investigators say another man, William Heagney, drove two hours from Crystal River on a suspended license. At the time of his arrest, authorities say Heagney was riding a bike and had child porn on his phone.
"Over the course of ten days, Heagney sent more than 90 explicit photos of himself to who he believed was a 14-year-old child," the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office explained in a news release. "Several men brought condoms; one brought candy and another brought a sex toy."
In total, 23 people were arrested, and authorities say they all intended to have sex with a boy or girl.
“I wish I could say these operations were no longer needed but time and time again, even after we make dozens of arrests, these men keep coming back for more,” Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight said. "In this digital world we live in, innocent children are far too accessible to predators. That is why, as parents, we have to get serious about prevention. Parents are the first line of defense and we will never stop reminding our community of that.”
Below is a list of the people arrested, as provided by the sheriff's office:
Angel Alcala-Yanez, 28, of Bradenton, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts, attempted lewd or lascivious battery and soliciting prostitution. He reports he is employed as a roofer.
Yunier Alfonso, 32, of Bradenton, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act and traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts.
Terrance Barnes, 26, of Riverview, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts, attempted lewd or lascivious battery, the transmission of harmful material to a minor and resisting arrest without violence.
Daniel Gilliland, 29, of Sarasota, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports he is employed as a landscaper.
Hamza Hafeez, 21, of Fort Myers, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. Hafeez is a college student.
Dwight Harris, 29, of Port Charlotte, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts, attempted lewd or lascivious battery and transmission of harmful material.
William Heagney, 45, of Crystal River, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts, attempted lewd or lascivious battery, possession of child pornography and 91 counts of transmission of harmful material. He reports he is self-employed as a handyman.
John Inga, 28, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports he works in construction.
Hamid Keshmirian, 62, of Bradenton, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports he is the owner of a dry-cleaning business.
Jakari King, 29, of Sarasota, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit a sex act, and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports he works as a chef.
Cody Mathis, 34, of Sarasota, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports that he works as a contractor.
Ernest Panebianco, 65, of Osprey, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports he is employed as a gas station clerk.
David Perez-Mendez, 25, of Tampa, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. Perez-Mendez works in construction.
Judson Perkins, 32, of Bradenton, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts, attempted lewd or lascivious battery and two counts of transmission of harmful material.
James Persons, 77, of Sarasota, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery.
Elias Pineda-Gamez, 29, of Bradenton, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports he works as a tile installer.
Demetris Roberts, 30, of Palmetto, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts, attempted lewd or lascivious battery and violation of probation. He reports he works in construction.
Randy Royce, 48, of Sarasota, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd and lascivious battery. He reports that he works as a real estate agent.
Kristopher Ryan, 37, of Ellenton, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports that he works as an electrician.
Manikanta Sunkara, 26, of Tampa, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. Sunkara is unemployed.
Kenneth Thompson, 23, of Sarasota, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act and traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts. He reports he works as a postal carrier.
William Zimmerman, 23, of North Port, is charged with use of a computer to solicit a child to commit a sex act, traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd or lascivious battery. He reports he is self-employed as a tiler.
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