SARASOTA, Fla. — The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested 23 men during an operation aimed at protecting children from online predators and human trafficking.
The sheriff's office announced the arrests in the four-day operation, named Operation Intercept VII, on Friday.
Deputies say the suspects, who range in age from 21 to 77, all responded to online ads, apps and social media sites looking to engage in sexually explicit conversations with minors. All men then traveled with the intention of meeting a male or female minor for sex, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputies say several of the men brought condoms, with one even bringing a sex toy. One of the men, 45-year-old William Heagney sent more than 90 explicit photos of himself to who he thought was a 14-year-old, according to the sheriff's office.
Those arrested and their charges are:
- Angel Alcala-Yanez, 28, of 5908 11th Street East, 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 204 Molokai Drive, 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 13302 Cedar Bay Court, 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, transmission of harmful material to a minor and resisting arrest without violence.
- Daniel Gilliland, 29, of 4709 Acorn Circle, 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 10501 FGCU Boulevard South, 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.
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- Dwight Harris, 29, of 22490 Amigo Avenue, 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 8185 West Winifred Court, 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 and is foreign-born.
- Hamid Keshmirian, 62, of 5406 Colleen Drive, 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 3608 Stokes Drive, 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 works as a chef.
- Cody Mathis, 34, of 6118 Carlton Avenue, 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 440 Patterson Avenue, 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 1401 East 143rd Avenue, 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 is foreign-born and works in construction.
- Judson Perkins, 32, of 2505 2nd Avenue East, 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 354 Suwanee Avenue, 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 1214 30th Avenue East, 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 1209 11th Avenue West, 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 1828 Bahia Vista Street, 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 real estate agent.
- Kristopher Ryan, 37, of 6610 Rick Bridge Lane, 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 5238 Sunridge Palm Drive, 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 foreign-born and unemployed.
- Kenneth Thompson, 23, of 3001 Bee Ridge Road, Unit 217, 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 5098 Dewberry Street, 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.
“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 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.”
The sheriff's office says the North Port Police Department and Sarasota Police Departments supported the operation. Several of the men arrested are under continued investigation for other related and non-related crimes, the sheriff's office says.
The sheriff's office has also released a new graphic showing the apps used by those looking to meet with minors.
