TAVARES – A week-long undercover cyber operation resulted in the arrest of 10 men with various charges including soliciting a minor, transmitting lewd images, and traveling to seduce a minor, according to Lake County Cyber Crimes Unit Lt. Kristin Thompson.
The operation, dubbed Operation Treasure Florida’s Kids, took place between November 13th through November 21st. The operation was headed by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit with assistance from the Federal Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Citrus, Osceola, Polk, and Seminole County sheriff’s offices, and police departments from Altamonte Springs, Clermont, Eustis, Kissimmee, and Okeechobee.
In the operation, undercover agents posed on numerous popular websites and social media known to be used by minors as 13 and 14-year-old children or caregivers of the children. While undercover, the agents spoke with several men who agreed to meet up and have sex with who they believed was a 13 or 14-year-old child.
Of the ten arrested, two men were arrested at their homes after sending harmful material to a minor. 65-year-old John Francis Daiuto, Jr., from Leesburg and 52-year-old Richard Karl Hummer, from Leesburg were both arrested at their homes.
Daiuto was arrested on November 19th at his home in Leesburg after sending explicit photos to who he thought was a parent of a 13-year-old girl. He also spoke on the phone with a woman he believed was the child and asked her if she had seen the photos and if she liked them. While in the home, detectives also found child pornography. Daiuto was charged with 11 counts of possession of child pornography, 2 counts of transmitting harmful material to a minor and using a computer device to lure or solicit a child to commit sex acts. Daiuto was transported to the Lake County Jail where he remains in lieu of a $140,000 bond.
Hummer was arrested on November 17th after sending multiple explicit images to who he believed was a 13-year-old girl. Detectives arrested Hummer at his home in Leesburg. He was transported to the Lake County Jail where he was later released after posting a $125,000 bond on November 20th.
The remaining eight arrests were conducted when the suspects traveled to an area referred to by locals as the Golden Triangle, a spot in Lake County where Eustis, Mount Dora, and Tavares city lines meet.
Gunner James Artibee, a 25-year-old Mount Dora man, was arrested on November 14th after traveling to meet who he believed was a 14-year-old girl. Artibee showed up at the meet location with condoms he intended to use. Artibee was arrested and charged with traveling to solicit a child to commit sex acts and attempted lewd and lascivious eshibition. He was booked at the Lake County Jail where he was later released on November 16th on a $70,000 bond.
Austin Jeremiah Guiffre, a 24-year-old Tavares man was also arrested on November 14th after traveling to meet with who he believed was a 13-year-old boy to have sex. During his arrest, detectives discovered that Guiffre had been charged before with sex-based charges as a juvenile. Guiffre was charged with transmitting harmful material to a minor and unlawful use of a 2-way-communication device. He was transported to the Lake County Jail where he remains in lieu of a $150,000 bond. A Suzuki motorcycle which he used to get to the meeting, was seized during the investigation.
Craig Alexander Harley, a 32-year-old Orlando man, used an Uber driver to travel to the location where he was expecting to meet with a 13-year-old girl to have sex. Harley had condoms in his possession when he was arrested on November 14th. He was charged with traveling to solicit a minor to commit sex acts, transmitting harmful material to a minor, and attempted lewd and lascivious acts. Harley is still in custody at the Lake County Jail in lieu of a $70,000 bond.
John Ghaly Hanna Ghaly, a 29-year-old Orlando man, was also arrested after showing up to meet a girl he thought was 14 years old. Ghaly was charged with traveling to solicit a minor to commit sex acts and attempted lewd and lascivious acts. He was booked at the Lake County Jail on November 15th and released later that same day after posting a $70,000 bond. According to detectings, Ghaly brought beer for him and the girl he was supposedly going to meet.
Steven Garrett Head, a 48-year-old Ocala man, was arrested on November 15th after traveling to meet a supposed 13-year-old girl for sex. Head brought along a can of Dr. Pepper for the girl he was supposed to meet. Instead, he was booked into the Lake County Jail and charged with traveling to solicit a minor to commit sex acts, attempted lewd and lascivious acts, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. During the arrest, detectives discovered he had a long record of non-sex-based charges. Head is currently in custody in lieu of a $77,000 bond. Head’s 2-15 Ford pickup truck was seized after he used it to travel to the meeting.
Martin Lee Wilkins, a 55–year-old Lake Panasoffkee man, was also arrested on November 15th. Wilkins showed up with condoms, pillows, a blanket, and what detectives first believed was a tube of lip gloss but later identified it as lubricant. According to detectives, Wilkins was known to frequently meet people he talks to online. Wilkins traveled to meet who he expected was a 13-year-old girl. Wilkins was arrested and charged with traveling to solicit a minor to commit sex acts, attempted lewd and lascivious acts, and transmitting harmful material to a minor. He was transported to the Lake County Jail where he still remains in lieu of a $105,000 bond.
Michael A. Castillo, a 22-year-old Mount Dora Man, was arrested when he attempted to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex. Castillo was charged with traveling to solicit a minor to commit sex acts and attempted lewd and lascivious acts. He was arrested on November 17th and released the next day after posting a $15,000 bond.
Shawn Francis Kenyon, a 46-year-old Ocala man, brought condoms and $77 with him which he was reportedly going to use to pay for sex with a 13-year-old girl. Kenyon was arrested on November 21st and charged with traveling to solicit a minor to commit sex acts, attempted lewd and lascivious acts, and transmitting harmful materials to a minor. He was taken to the Lake County Jail where he was later released on November 23rd after posting a $70,000 bond. His vehicle, a blue 2003 Chevrolet pickup truck was seized during the sting.
All of the men arrested during the sting are scheduled to appear in court for arraignment in December.
“If you come to Lake County and try to have sex with a minor, you are going to jail,” said Lt. Thompson.
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