Ten men, including three from Fort Walton Beach, have been arrested in connection with an undercover child sex sting, a news release issued by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Operation Turkey Hunt” was carried out between Nov. 13-18 by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and other members of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The men were taken into custody after they traveled from various locations to Walton County “with the intent to have sexual relations with a minor,” the news release said.
Those charged were:
- Mohammed Alhamdy, 30, Fort Walton Beach.
- Timothy Coffey, 39, Fort Walton Beach.
- Melvin Andrews, 24, Fort Walton Beach.
- Nick Walker, 22, Freeport.
- William Moodie, 24, Sandestin.
- Scott Newbern, 51, Sandestin, (originally from Brunswick, Ga., but was attending a conference).
- John Reyes, 42, of Mobile.
- Ren Greco, 25, of Lynn Haven.
- Charles Maines, 21, Ebro.
- Jerry Hartman, 40, Fort Rucker, Ala.
To carry out the sting, the task force posted items on “several social networking sites,” the release said.
The undercover profiles used online were primarily of juveniles, both boys and girls, ages 12 and 13, it said.
The online advertisements “targeted suspects who engage in sexual activities with underage minors in Florida,” the release said.
In some conversations between suspects and undercover agents, investigators posed as the mother of a 12-year-old girl.
“The suspects solicited the ‘mother’ to engage in sexual activity with the 12-year-old female,” the report said.
Other conversations consisted of suspects attempting to solicit sex from undercover agents posing as 13-year-old boys.
“During the course of the conversations, the suspects obtained an address and upon arrival at the location the suspects were all taken into custody,” the report said.
“We want those individuals who would prey on our children to be afraid of what is waiting behind the door for them,” said Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson. “I want them to understand that when it comes to protecting our children we are the boogeyman waiting to get them.”
Suspects arrested worked in occupations that included active duty military, steel worker, retail sales, a preacher and unemployed, the report said.
All suspects were booked at the Walton County Jail and were being held on a $1 million bond with release conditions that included no contact with minors and wearing an electronic tracking device, the release said.
Members of the Crestview Police Department, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department, Bay County Sheriff’s Office,
Tallahassee Police Department, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement participated in the sting, the release said.
Additional arrests could result from the sting operation, the release said.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Tom McLaughlin at 850-315-4435 or tmclaughlin@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomMnwfdn.