Press Release: Twenty-five men have been arrested on felony charges after an intensive week-long undercover operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies determined they were using the internet to arrange sexual encounters with minors.
Operation Blue Shepherd began June 20 with 30 officers from local, state and federal agencies participating. Officers conducted the undercover investigation from a house in the northeast part of Pensacola.
Pensacola Police Capt. Paul Kelly said officers used various social networking and E-commerce sites to respond to advertisements of a sexual nature and to place similar advertisements.
The suspects specifically described various sexual acts they were going to do with the male and female children ages 12 to 14 whom they believed they were talking with. All of the suspects, except one who took a taxi, drove to the undercover house with the intent to perform these sexual acts with the children. Upon arrival, they were arrested and questioned.
Kelly said officers were surprised to find so many eager participants from the immediate Pensacola area.
“We expected to have more violators traveling from outside the area. What this tells me is that these violators do not have to travel far to find their victims. They are much closer to home than we imagined. Most of them were not reluctant or frightened to approach the door of a stranger’s house. They literally pulled up to the house and walked quickly to the door eager to meet the child,†Kelly said.
Agencies participating in Operation Blue Shepherd were the State Attorney’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement , Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, Fort Walton Beach Police Department, Tallahassee Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Most of the agencies are members of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which funded the operation, and used it as a means of cracking down on internet sexual crimes against children.
Arrested were:
· Karl Scheffing, 40, of 2426 Rebout Ave., Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Christopher Saldana, 24, of 36 Bay Cove, Freeport. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony, and possession of marijuana not more than 20 grams.
· Michael Armstrong, 21, of 645 James Lee Blvd., Fort Walton Beach. Charged with lewd and lascivious behavior on a victim 12 to 16 years old, using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Matthew Marana, 27, address unavailable. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· James Hadley, 36, of 4051 E. Olive Road, Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Robert Dawson, of 4281 Magnolia Crossing, Pace. Charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child, travel to meet after using computer to lure child, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Richard Mays, 26, of 1192 Jennings Trace, Holt. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Jason Vargas, 20, of 1082 Barracks, Corry Station. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· William Taylor, 47, of 1200 Scenic Highway, Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· William Colpetzer, 35, of 5001 Grande Dr., Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child, travel to meet after using a computer to lure child, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Edwin Gennette, 42, of 5369 Pecos Pass, Gulf Breeze. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Delon Nicholas, 26, of 6115 N. Davis Highway, Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child, travel to meet after using a computer to lure child, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Adam Barnes, 24, of 1459 Sturbridge Place, Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· James Churchill, 56, of 2099 Tujagues Place, Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child, travel to meet after using a computer to lure child, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Eric Ochoa, 32, of 2858 N. 32nd Ave., Milton. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Jason Halford, 36, of 405 Crum St., McKenzie, AL. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Preston Wipf, 21, address unavailable. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, resisting without violence, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Jason Bingham, 26, of 8990 N. Davis Highway, Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Donald Ward, 40, of 1756 Hunter Ave., Mobile, AL. Charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after using a computer to lure child, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Edward Lagrouge, 34, of 5175 Cherry Blossom Lane, Milton. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Vincent Claflin, 21, of One Sharilyn Dr., Shalimar. Charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child, travel to meet after using computer to lure child, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Eric Crawford, 25, of 8595 Wilburn Cove, Navarre. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Patrick Quick, 28, of 134 Lovette Place, Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child, travel to meet after using computer to lure child, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Joseph Caine, 21, of 1051 Pinedale Lane, Cantonment. Charged with using a computer to solicit parent/guardian consent, travel to meet/use computer to solicit guardian, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.
· Timothy Danley, 18, of 10025 Hillview Dr., Pensacola. Charged with using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure child, travel to meet after using computer to lure child, and using a 2-way communication device to facilitate felony.