FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – A Seattle, Washington, man will spend the next three decades in a federal prison for trying to victimize a panhandle child.A federal judge sentence 48-year old Willard Lawrence Gibson to 30 years in prison on one count each of attempted sexual exploitation of children, attempted enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and distribution of child pornography.Gibson was one of eight people arrested as part of “Operation Summer Hurricane”, a three night sting operation that took place July 10 through 12 of last year.Dozens of agencies targeted online child predators. Gibson contacted a Franklin County sheriff’s investigator who was posing as a teenager through a social media platform.The conversation moved to text messaging, where Gibson sent the undercover officer two images of child sexual abuse material and, still thinking he was talking to a teenager, asking the deputy to take illicit pictures of himself and send them.It is the first operation of its kind in Franklin County. When authorities arrested Gibson in Seattle, they found more child porn on his cell phone.Besides the 30-year sentence, Gibson must register as a sexual offender and be on supervised release for the remainder of his lifeCopyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
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