LARGO, Fla. — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office conducted a five-day undercover operation looking for individuals who chat with minors or their parents online for the purpose of meeting and engaging in sexual activity with children.
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said 15 men were arrested during "Operation Cyber Shield."
WATCH: Pinellas County deputies arrest 15 men allegedly looking to meet up with minors for sex
He said among those arrested included an undocumented immigrant, an 86-year-old man and a local attorney.
The sheriff said Michael Rozum works as a family law and personal injury attorney. He's from Tarpon Springs.
"Michael Rozum was arrested after arriving at the gas station parking lot where he agreed to meet a 14-year-old child to engage in sexual intercourse," said Sheriff Gualtieri.
Deputies also arrested 86-year-old Robert Schwierking on two counts of traveling to meet a minor.
"Now Robert Schwierking, who is 86 years old, was arrested after arriving at a hotel on US 19 where he agreed to meet the father offering his 4-year-old and his 7-year-old children to engage in sexual intercourse with this 86-year-old man," Gualtieri said.
Deputies also arrested Juan Morales Tol on suspicion of traveling to meet a minor. Morales allegedly traveled to Pinellas County from Palmetto, according to the sheriff.
"Morales was arrested after arriving at a convenient store parking lot to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old child and engaged the 14-year-old in sexual intercourse," Gualtieri said.
The sheriff said Morales is a Guatemalan national and has been previously deported in 2018. The sheriff's office said it notified ICE.
The other men arrested included:
•Darren Angus, 33
•Christopher Carlson, 51
•Connor Collins, 22
•Mauro Cruz-Platon, 22
•Jonas Jozaities, 28
•Douglas Lee, 30
•Gregory McKinney, 46
•Robert Meli, 58
•Christopher-Michael Patterson, 23
• Jacob Thomas, 34
•Christian Vasquez, 21
•Fernando Garcia Velez, 29
Sheriff Gualtieri encourages parents to monitor their children's electronic devices and pay attention to who they are chatting with online.
"You got to know what your kids are doing," he said. "You got to put controls in place and in some cases, you have to be a helicopter parent, you got to watch. You got to know what's happening because if you don't, your kids are vulnerable."
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