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The men were arrested for messages they sent to undercover officers pretending to be minors, MCSO said.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrested 40 men connected to an online sting operation called Operation “Seek and Ye Shall Find Out.”
The sheriff’s office said these men contacted users who they thought were children between the ages of 13 and 15, but were actually communicating with undercover law enforcement officers. According to police, after arranging plans to meet, most of these men traveled to a decided-upon location and were met by law enforcement officers.
The release states the men were arrested for various charges such as traveling to meet a minor for illegal sexual conduct, human trafficking, using a computer to solicit a child, unlawful use of a two-way communication device and transmitting material harmful to a minor.
Sheriff Billy Woods said, “With each operation, we catch more and more. The number of offenders only goes up.” The sheriff’s office also claims that officers seized guns, drugs, cash, and vehicles from the offenders and additional arrests are expected.
