Overview

• A six-day undercover sting in Marion County led by the Sheriff’s Office with support from eight other local, state and federal agencies concluded with a press conference on August 4.
• Agents posing as 13- to 15-year-olds on social media and gaming apps lured suspects into arranging in-person meetings, leading to 48 arrests and 153 charges.
• Seven of those arrested are held on ICE detainers, reflecting cooperation between state law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
• Prosecutors filed charges including traveling to meet a minor for illegal sexual conduct, human trafficking, using a computer to solicit a child and transmitting material harmful to a minor.
• Florida’s Attorney General is advancing a civil suit against Snapchat under HB3 and the Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act for allegedly enabling predator communications