Dozens of suspected sexual predators are off the streets following a sweeping FDLE investigation that spanned six months and included 700 law enforcement officers.
They called it ‘Operation Amalgamate’.
In all, there were 48 arrests in 17 Florida counties for alleged internet sex crimes against minors.
The disturbing charges involved child pornography, graphic chat with minors online, by phone, and in more than one case an attempt to meet-up with a child for sex.
Sheriff J.J. Dawsy from Citrus County called the predators in the state “the 800 pound gorilla that’s coming after your little girls and little boys. And they want them”.
“They want to have sex with them. And they want to violate them,” he warned.
Officials say the arrests demonstrate the effectiveness of a decision last July to merge forces from the Florida attorney general’s office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in the battle against child sex predators.
“Sadly our children are exposed to this in our society today,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “And parents, if you are listening to this, monitor what your children are doing on the internet.”
Among those arrested were a TSA agent from Orlando, a church treasurer from Escambia county, and a teacher’s aide who worked with special needs kids in Volusia County named Cristy Brandstedter.
Brandstedter, 62, now living in Pasco County, is charged with 10 counts of child pornography.
He declined to comment when we visited him at his home, but neighbors in Brandstedter’s exclusive Land O Lakes subdivision said they were keenly aware of his arrest.
“Oh yeah, I think it went through the neighborhood quickly,” said Angie Feltner, a grandmother of four kids living nearby.
Feltner says the children have been warned.
“They were just told that they need to stay away. That there’s a man that is just – looking out for little children.”
Officials say it’s still too early to compare arrest stats, but they insist the agency merger has been effective.
They vow their crackdown on internet crimes against children does not end here, and issued a stern warning.
“The Florida Law Enforcement Association is coming to a community near you,” said Sheriff Dawsy, “and we’re coming after you. So beware.”
Parents who want to sign up for automatic alerts when a registered sex offended moves into the neighborhood can do so by clicking here.
Below is the full list of those arrested and the charges they face, provided by the FDLE.
– Barnes, Christopher M., 08-31-87, Tampa, Florida –Hillsborough
Two counts computer pornography & one count attempted sexual battery
– Belledent, Karl Edwin, 03-26-96, N. Miami – Miami Dade
One count computer pornography, four counts of sexual battery, four counts of sexual performance by a child & one count of extortion
– Billings, Michael D., 06-11-69, Leesburg, Florida — Volusia
Two counts computer pornography & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Blyth, Dennis Richard, 11-25-47, Daytona Beach, Florida — Volusia
Two counts computer pornography & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Brandstedter, Cristy, 01-23-49, Land O Lakes Florida — Pasco
10 counts of child pornography
– Briggs, James Michael, 11-28-61, Ft. Myers, Florida — Hardee
Two counts computer pornography & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Brown, Gene Hamilton, 02-01-61, Cantonment, Florida — Escambia
Three counts of child pornography
– Brown, Kris Karl, 04-29-75 – (No residence address) –Broward
20 counts of child pornography & one count of computer pornography
– Brown, Michael Robert, 08-04-80, Dade City, Florida — Volusia
Two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device, one count of cannabis under 20 grams & one count of possession of drug paraphernalia
– Bueno, Alvin Grullon, 11-14-81, North Lauderdale, Florida –Broward
25 counts of child pornography
– Calloway, Dustin S., 04-15-86 (no arrest affidavit) (No residence address) — Leon
– Carver, Ricky Lamar, 02-26-71, Jacksonville, Florida — Leon
Five counts of computer pornography
– Chu, Anthony, 06-15-87, Orlando, Florida — Orange
10 counts of child pornography
– Coons, Zachary, 06-07-93 (No residence address) — Leon
Two counts of computer pornography
– Deloge, Steven Robert, 05-22-74, Jacksonville, Florida –Duval
One count of computer pornography
– Echevarria, Nelson, 04, 09,80, (No residence address) — Broward
One count of cannabis under 20 grams, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia & one count of possession of a weapon or ammo by a convicted felon
– El-Refai, Sherif, 10-19-87, Tampa, Florida –Hillsborough
Two counts of computer pornography & one count of attempt lewd and lascivious assault
– Figueroa, Carlos Alberto, 02-26-85, Miami -Miami Dade
Three counts/violations of The Florida Sexual Predator Act
– Fluery, Douglas, 08-03-53, Sunrise, Florida — Broward
Two counts of computer pornography, one count of attempt lewd and lascivious assault & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Fochs, Donald William Jr., 06-23-73, New Port Richey, Florida — Pasco
One count of solicitation of a minor for sex acts
– Gutierrez, Omar, 06-02-83, (No residence address) — Orange
Two counts of computer pornography
– Hudnall, Richard, 11-30-56, Jacksonville, Florida –Leon
Two counts of computer pornography
– Ingersoll, Michael, 05-16-84, Arvada, Colorado –Volusia
Two counts computer pornography & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Jarrell, Jason, 05-01-80, Tallahassee, Florida — Leon
Two counts of computer pornography
– Kalinowski, Edward L., 06-27-52, Daytona Beach, Florida — Volusia
Two counts computer pornography & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Kessler, Phillip Michael, 01-10-76 (no arrest affidavit) –Bay
– Lentovich, Eric Joseph, 08-27-75, Ft. Myers, Florida –Hardee
Two counts computer pornography & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Leon, Hector Ramon, 12-26-65, Greenacre, Florida – Palm Beach
10 counts of child pornography
– Martinet, Christian, 04-10-87, Pembroke Pines, Florida — Broward
30 counts of child pornography
– Martinez, Jorge M. Jr., 09-26-89, West Park, Florida — Broward
One count of child pornography & one count of computer pornography
– Masters, Rickey O., 07-17-46, Hollywood, Florida –Broward
10 counts of child pornography
– Milboer, Scott Andrew, 01-113-78, Naples, Florida — Collier
Two counts of computer pornography, one count of attempt lewd and lascivious assault & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Mizner, Stephen, 03-14-70, Sarasota, Florida
Two counts computer pornography, one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device & one count attempted sexual battery
– Moss, Mario Dwayne, 12-08-84, Lake City, Florida — Columbia
10 counts of child pornography
– Orr, Curtis, 04-09-70, (No residence address) — Broward
24 counts of child pornography
– Peixoto De Almeida, Marcus F., 11-03-73, Hallandale Beach, Florida –Broward
20 counts of child pornography
– Perez, Jorge Arturo, 04-14-83, Boca Raton, Florida -Palm Beach
Possession of child pornography
– Rains, Paul David, 05-08-49, Orlando, Florida — Orange
10 counts of child pornography
– Rees, James F., 10-28-60, Deltona Florida — Volusia
Two counts computer pornography & one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device
– Sauleda, Donovan A., 05-13-86 (no arrest affidavit) — Wakulla
– Shelley, Dean A. 12-15-59, Palm Harbor, Florida — Hillsborough
Two counts of computer pornography & one count of Attempt Capital Sexual Battery
– Stowell, Kevin A., 10-26-58, Port Richey Florida — Pasco
10 counts child pornography
– Torres, Michael, 12-11-76, Oakland Park, Florida — Broward
30 counts of child pornography
– Vela, Francisco Javier, 07-10-77, Greenacre, Florida -Palm Beach
One count of child pornography
– Walker Rober Lee Jr., 10-09-77, Orlando, Florida — Orange
10 counts of child pornography
– White, Harvey, 03-13-53 (No residence address) — Broward
10 counts child pornography
– White, Leon, 07-12-52, Davenport, Florida — Osceola
10 Counts of child pornography
Source: 10 News
