The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office netted 17 arrests over a five day operation this past week titled, “Operation Sheepdog.” The undercover operation used the Internet to locate and identify persons who use it to sexually exploit children. Multiple agencies participated in the operation under the auspices of the North Florida ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force. Those agencies included the Florida Attorney General Child Predator Cybercrime Unit, the F.B.I., the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Sheriff’s Offices of St. Johns, Alachua, Volusia, Clay and Citrus Counties and the Gainesville Police Department.
The operation involved undercover detectives posing as juveniles or parents online to arrange for unknown suspects to meet with them at an undercover house that was located in the Northwest part of the county. Between last Wednesday and Sunday (May 1), 17 individuals made plans and traveled to the undercover home in an attempt to solicit children between the ages of 8 and 15 years of age.
Once the suspects arrived at the home they were taken into custody by arrest teams at the front door. Ten of those arrested traveled to St. Johns County from Duval County, two came from Georgia and one each came from Clay, Nassau, Volusia, Alachua and Osceola Counties. The 17 suspects range in age from 20-55 years old and are facing 60 felony charges and three misdemeanor charges. In addition, none of the suspects are registered sex offenders or predators.
Most of those arrested brought condoms and some brought lubrication. One of the suspects brought three cucumbers and others brought candy, which had been requested by an undercover agent posing as a child. Among the professions of the suspects arrested, one was a middle school teacher in Nassau County, two were in the military, an optician, a civil engineer, a janitor, a bank teller and a chef. Detectives seized several vehicles as well as a computer and/or cell phones belonging to the suspects.
Those arrested, their charges and bonds are:
Robert Gazel Jones, 40, 11268 Hendon Dr., Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilizing a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000.
Melvin Crosby, 27, 3488 Uphill Ter., Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Attempt sexual performance by a child (F)
Ct. 2: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 3: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 4: Use a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $100,000
Christopher Lee Smith, 29, 2530 New York Ave., Waycross, Georgia
Ct. 1: Attempted capital sexual battery (F)
Ct. 2: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 3: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 4: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 5: Protection of minors; prohibition of certain acts in connection w/ obscenity (F)
Bonds totaling $250,000
Christopher E. Logue, 26, Jacksonville (no photo, former DOC employee)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 4: Protection of minors; prohibition of certain acts in connection w/obscenity (F)
Bonds totaling $100,000
Brandon Meredith Hardy, 20, Moody AFB, Valdosta, Georgia
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Additional state and federal charges pending.
Released after posting $50,000 bond.
Francisco J. Nunez, 27, 7777 Normandy Blvd., Apt 804, Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 3: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure child (F)
Ct. 4: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure guard. (F)
Ct. 5: Protection of minors; prohibition of certain acts in connection w/obscenity (F)
Bonds totaling $125,000
Jimmy Santiago Jr., 28, 195 Dover Bluff Rd., Orange Park
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 3: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure child (F)
Ct. 4: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure guard. (F)
Ct. 5: Protection of minors; prohibition of certain acts in connection w/obscenity (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000
Donald Kim Stephens, 55, 7931 Austin Rd., Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Attempted capital sexual battery (F)
Ct. 2: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 3: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 4: Use a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 5: Protection of minors; prohibition of certain acts in connection w/obscenity (F)
Bonds totaling $125,000
Adam Michael Morris, 22, 1015 NW 21 Ave. #564, Gainesville
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Use a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $75,000
Joshua Michael Johnson, 29, 86018 Harrahs Pl., Yulee
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Released after posting $50,000 bond
Murtaza Ali Panjwani, 27, 13801 Beach Blvd., Apt. 306, Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a parent (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure parent (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 4: Possession of marijuana less than 20 grams (M)
Ct. 5: Possession of drug paraphernalia (M)
Bonds totaling $76,000
Kenan Dumanjic, 24, 11043 Pierce Arrow Ct., Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $75,000
Alvin Brian Smith, 25, 1417 E. Lombardy, Deltona
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce solicit/a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure guardian (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $75,000
Efrain Perez-Casanova, 23, 1414 Bass Slough Rd., Apt. 1350, Kissimmee
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 4: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 5: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure guard. (F)
Ct. 6: Operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license
Bonds totaling $125,200
Sui Law, 20, 2750 Coachman Lakes Dr., Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $75,000
Benjamin C. Harrison, 39, 1700 San Pablo Rd. South Apt. 307, Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use compute to lure guard. (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $75,000
Ronald D. Thompson, 47, 4900 Eulace Rd., Jacksonville
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure guard. (F)
Bonds totaling $50,000
Liana G says
Thank you! My tax dollars well spent! Outstanding work. I wonder how many of these are fathers too? That’s the sickening part, and look they all get to post bail.
PJ says
Get these low lives off the street! Great work of fine Police work. As the parent of a nearly computer ready child I worry about these sick people contacting my child or any child. Keep up the the good work!