A child sex sting operation based in St. Johns County has resulted in the arrests of 15 men, including a St. Johns County school bus driver.
An announcement of the arrests was made Wednesday at a press conference presented by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
The sting was called Operation No Soliciting and took place over the course of five days, starting March 13.
http://liarcatchers.com/pedophile_tracking.html
“I’m happy and proud of the men and women here who have taken these predators off the street,” said Undersheriff Joel Bolante of St. Johns County. “I’m so sad to see that this exists. There’s no telling how many kids are being victims out there. It’s just heartbreaking to even think that something like that could happen.”
Officers used Internet chat rooms to find men looking for under-age sexual partners. Sometimes, undercover officers were posing as parents offering their children for sex.
The suspects were then invited to visit an undisclosed house in the county with the promise of sex with a minor.
However, there were no minors at the house, only officers who arrested the suspects after establishing that they were there to engage in illegal activity.
“Before we make an arrest, there’s clear evidence that their intent was to meet with that child and have sex,” Bolante said.
Those arrested come from several different counties, and three are from Georgia. The age of the suspects are between 19 and 49.
They also come from many different backgrounds. The most shocking arrest may be that of St. Johns County bus driver Richard A. Copeland, 46, who is accused of soliciting a 14-year-old boy. There was also a member of the U.S. Navy, Christopher D. Holt, 19, and a tutor, Nicholas J. Stanley, 25.
This was the second Internet child sex sting in the county. Operation Sheepdog was executed about two years ago, and 17 men were arrested in that sting.
All 17 men were convicted at trial or pleaded no contest. Those who took a plea received punishment ranging from probation to eight years in prison. Those who were convicted at trial were sentenced to nine to 15 years in prison.
The success of convictions with Sheepdog was one of the inspirations to do a second sting, and the high number of arrests showed that there are a lot of predators.
“If we did struggle with Sheepdog, we’d still do this because to me, it’s worth it,” Bolante said. “I can’t say if it’s going to be this year or next year, but this is certainly one of those things that, as you can see, has to be continuous.”
The sting involved the cooperation of several law enforcement agencies under the auspices of the North Florida ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force, in addition to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Among the others involved were the FBI, the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Office of the State Attorney 7th Judicial Circuit, the Sheriff’s Offices of Alachua, Volusia, Clay and Brevard counties, as well as the Gainesville, Daytona Beach and Tallahassee Police Departments.
“Let us all hope that this serves as a deterrent to other would-be pedophiles and serves as a harsh reminder that online is not anonymous,” said Tony Chrabot, assistant special agent in charge with the FBI in Jacksonville.
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Those arrested, their charges and bonds are:
Rajiv Pravinkumar Rathod, 28, 6455 Argyle Forest Blvd., #906, Jacksonville (Service Station Owner)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilizing a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Released after posting $75,000 bond.
Christopher Daniel Holt, 19, 7508 Wycombe Dr. N., Jacksonville (U.S. Navy)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Use a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $75,000
Richard Charles Holubek, 47, 2890 Maricopa Ct., Orange Park (Drug Store Manager)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to solicit parent/guardian consent (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $75,000
Nicholas Joseph Stanley, 25, 1391 Handen Rd. East, Port Orange (Tutor)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 4: Protection of minors; prohibition of certain acts in connection w/obscenity (F)
Bonds totaling $200,000
Richard Allen Copeland, 46, 1324 Pappy St., St. Augustine (Bus Driver)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 4: Possession of cocaine (F)
Ct. 5: Possession of drug paraphernalia
Bonds totaling $160,500
Anthony Joseph Roski, 46, 2055 Antioch Church Rd., Pearson, Ga. (Farm Worker)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $200,000
George A. Lambing, 44, 8650 Jake Carlton Dr., Yulee (Electrician)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000
Eric O’Neal Westervelt, 49, 6928 Kapok Dr., Milton (Retired)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to solicit guardian (F)
Ct. 3: Use a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 4: Distribution of obscene material (F)
Bonds totaling $200,000
William Claude Smith Jr., 29, Pt. Wentworth, Ga. (Construction)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Use a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000
Vyacheslav Azarov, 43, 32 Bridgehaven Dr., Palm Coast (Delivery Driver)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to solicit a guardian (F)
Ct. 3: Use a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000
John Houston Oyler, 29, 137 Buck Run Way, St. Augustine (Unemployed)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000
Michael Tyler Baggott, 20, Rincon, Ga. (Criminal Justice Student)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000
Edward Michael Myers, 20, Daytona Beach, (College Student)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce solicit/a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure a child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Ct. 4: Transmitting information harmful to minors (F)
Bonds totaling $200,000
Michael Roger Mills, 23, 2863 SW 38th Pl., Gainesville (Fast Food Manager)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000
Vincent Yedynak, 38, 955 S. Nova Rd., Ormond Beach (Maintenance)
Ct. 1: Use computer service to seduce/solicit a child (F)
Ct. 2: Obscene communication travel to meet after use computer to lure child (F)
Ct. 3: Utilize a two way device to facilitate a felony (F)
Bonds totaling $150,000
