Among the 16 child predator suspects arrested, their ages range from 19 to 41 years old.
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A Disney employee and a Florida school bus driver are among 16 suspects arrested in a child predator operation sting that totaled over 100 charges.
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrests Wednesday as part of a joint-operation between multiple agencies conducted between March 18-21.
The operation targeted 16 suspected predators accused of unknowingly speaking with undercover officers who told them their ages were between 13-15 years old.
The conversations would reportedly involve sexually exploiting children online through chatrooms and escort websites and discuss plans to meet at a spot for sexual activities.
“That right there, that is the greatest threat to our families here in this state,” Uthmeier said, pointing to a poster of all the suspects at a news conference. “That is pure evil.”
Uthmeier said 15 of the suspected predators were arrested for traveling to meet with who they believed to be children, while one suspect was arrested for engaging in harmful and explicit conversation with his “victim.”
Among those arrested include 36-year-old Sroes Tes, a Disney employee, and 36-year-old Michael Cornell, a Volusia County School bus driver.
“This is a major wake-up call,” Uthmeier said. “It could be anybody. You don’t know.”
One other suspect pointed out was 34-year-old Sheldon Lee, who the attorney general said left four young children in a hotel room to go to a strip club and then meet with his “victim.”
Naman Kanthwal, 29, was another suspect who is reportedly in the U.S. on a green card from India. He was arrested while intending to meet and assault a 14-year-old girl, according to authorities.
Among the 16 arrested, their ages range from 19 to 41 years old.
All of those arrested face varying charges such as travel to meet a child, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, lewd and lascivious battery, harmful explicit communication to a minor and criminal attempted felony.
“This operation is a perfect example of why proactive law enforcement is so important—multiple children were saved from harm as a result,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “Each one of these predators was ready and willing to engage in sexual abuse of children, but they were met with undercover officers and handcuffs instead. Thanks to our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, dangerous predators are off the streets, and our kids are safer because of it.”
Agencies involved in this operation include the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lake City Police Department, the Orlando Police Department and the St. Cloud Police Department.
“If you target kids, you are not safe,” Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said in a statement. “We will find you; we will arrest you and we will make sure you face the full weight of justice. You will be hunted, not the hunter.”
A full list of the suspects and their individual charges can be found here.
