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Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods recently announced the arrest of 40 men as part of a sex sting.
At a news conference on Wednesday, he stated that the operation was a coordinated effort between numerous authorities. He was joined by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, State Attorney Bill Gladson, and staff members from Senator Ashley Moody’s office.
Woods claims that the 40 males targeted both girls and boys between the ages of 13 and 15. Some drove an hour to meet a child in Marion County.
Undercover officers contacted the males and met them at a predetermined place.
Woods claims he has a message for parents. Because both girls and boys were targeted, he encourages parents of boys to pay more attention because their sons could potentially be victims.
“I have zero sympathy for [the suspects],” Woods stated. “They were all aware that they were arranging to meet with a child rather than an adult. A child. They sent horrible texts, images, and videos, all of which are included in the evidence. The intention was to inflict damage on a child.
Woods cited Joseph O’Rourke, 43, of Gainesville, as an example. O’Rourke is accused of identifying as a 35-year-old. He believed he was speaking with a 14-year-old girl and planned to meet her at a 7-Eleven gas station in Ocala to do sexual acts.
Woods said he will make sure Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott knows who the men in Gainesville are, including O’Rourke.
Deputies and detectives discovered several of the males in possession of firearms, drugs, and cash. According to officials, seven of the 40 males apprehended are not United States citizens. Here is a list of all the men arrested during the operation:
- JOVAN BROWN
- DRITHVE BABU SHIVAKUMAR
- SALVATORE CARAVELLO
- JOSE CRUZ UMONA
- JONATHAN MITCHELL
- SHAWN GRUNTHER
- PRADIPKUMAR PATEL
- SHAWN RIVERA
- LAVONTA SOL
- GREGORY FOGEL
- DERMON THOMAS
- SURESH GOVINDAN-SEKARAN
- ODELL HARRIS
- KYLE OLINGER
- DARREL ROCKWELL
- SHAWN HUMBERT
- KHALID ALKHOORI
- TERRY BROWN
- EMANUELLE DOERR
- JASON EJMAL
- SEBERIANO ALEGRE
- DEVIN FERNANDEZ
- FITZROY FRANCIS
- MICHAEL KEITH
- JOSEPH O’ROURKE
- CHARLES GOLLADAY
- CLAYTON HARRIS
- FERNANDEZ HOOVER
- AARON MARTIN
- TIMOTHY MILLER
- WILLIAM SCHNEIDER
- BRIEN TERRY
- BRANDON WARD
- JARED WATSON
- AARON DUARTE
- JUSTIN O’CONNOR
- NAINESH PATEL
- DAVID ROMERO
- DAVID THURKINS
