POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Polk County deputies have arrested 17 men in connection to a month-long special investigation focusing on those who possessed and shared child pornography.
The investigation was called “Operation Guardians of Innocence IV: Fall Haul.” Among those arrested were a former middle school assistant principal, two theme park employees, a registered nurse.
Some of the men had contacted children or were soliciting sexually explicit photos of children.
“The people arrested during this operation prey on the most innocent and
vulnerable among us—our children,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
The youngest person arrested was 19 years old, while the oldest was 77 years old. The 17 men arrested face a total of 626 charges.
During a press conference held Friday, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office revealed the names of the 17 arrested. Below you can find a list of the men arrested and the charges they are facing.
- Bryan Murray, 54 – Charges: Attempted lewd battery, transmission of material harmful to a minor, travel to meet a minor after solicitation, and three counts of use of computer to lure a minor
- William Hage, 76 – Charges: Promotion of child pornography and 252 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography
- Dominic Bernardi, 19 – Charges: Using a computer to solicit a child and transmitting material harmful to a minor
- Christopher Drennen, 20 – Charges: Three counts of possession of child pornography
- Michael Arambulo, 34 – Charges: Promotion of child pornography and 10 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography
- Camillo Demaria II, 33 – Charges: 26 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography
- Felix Rocha, Jr. 27 – Charges: Five counts of possession of child pornography
- David Dailey, 42 – Charges: Promotion of child pornography and 100 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography
- Donald Durr, Jr., 52 – Charges: Eight counts of possession of child pornography and one count of promote sexual performance by child
- Brett Kinney, 40 – Charges: One count of promotion of child pornography and 24 counts of possession of child pornography-enhanced
- Charles Mabry, Jr., 37 – Charges: One count of promotion of child pornography and 53 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography
- Edgar Villegas, 28 – Charges: Two counts of possession of child pornography and violation of probation
- Mack Witherington, 77 – Charges: 15 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography
- James Richardson III, 38 – Charges: Possessing depiction of child sexual conduct and promote sexual performance by child
- Mark Ott, 49 – Charges: Promotion of child pornography and 74 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography
- Rodney Montgomery, 51 – Charges: 20 counts of promote sexual performance by child and 10 counts of possession of child pornography with the intent to promote
- Jacob Jackson, 31 – Charges: Attempted promotion of child pornography and using computer to solicit a child
Deputies also conducted a separate special investigation during the month of October called Operation Trick-Or-Treat. During this operation, 14 men, who were previously convicted of preying on children, were arrested with failure to comply with sex offender registration laws and/or a violation of probation.
“We know our citizens are concerned about predators and offenders being around children during events such as Halloween, so every year we conduct initiatives like this one,” Judd said.
The 14 men arrested face a total of 49 charges. Below you can find a list of the men arrested.
- Titus Finley, 25
- James Earl Moorer, 52
- Darrell Williams, 34
- David Michael Bryan, 46
- Jerrid Michael Jackson, 30
- Enrico Conde, 51
- Francisco Laza, 56
- Everett Johnson, 46
- Kelvin Joyce, 55
- Michael Mack, 35
- Guy Odell, 42
- Russell Cowles, 41
- Shannon Holland, 40
- Gary Shields, 43
The full press conference from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office can be found at the top of the article.
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