MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Authorities in Manatee County arrested eight men accused of having inappropriate contact with minors online and traveling to meet them for sex.
The arrests were a result of a covert operation named "Operation Safe Summer," comprising of detectives with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division and Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. These investigators posed as teenagers throughout July across multiple social media platforms and dating websites.
The sheriff's office says their investigation led to the following arrests:
- Christopher Paugh, 43, of Bradenton
- William Henry Finken, 53, of Lutz
- Paul Huffstutler, 47, of Bradenton
- Nitin Singare, 41, of Tampa
- Oscar Muthe-Mora, 27, of Clearwater
- Clenton Pol Chan, 24, of Bradenton
- Oscar Alberto-Gonzalez, 25, of Sarasota
- Sreedhar Yadav, 54, of Temple Terrace
All eight men were booked on charges relating to the inappropriate use of a computer or "two-way communication device" and traveling to meet a minor for sex.
Paugh and Singare are also facing accusations of transmitting harmful material to minors.
"Detectives periodically conduct operations aimed at catching sexual offenders in the act. They are currently following leads on other suspects who are knowingly pursuing sexual activity with teenagers," the Manatee County Sheriff's Office wrote in a press release, adding that multiple investigations are ongoing.