58 arrested in Marion County 5-day child predator sex sting, sheriff says

Published June 11, 2026 12:20 PM EDT

More than 50 people were arrested during an undercover operation targeting child sex predators in Marion County, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The six-day operation, dubbed "Operation Bad Habits," was conducted with multiple local, state and federal agencies.

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The sheriff's office held a news conference Wednesday, sharing more details about the operation.

Officials said the suspects would arrange to meet up with individuals who they thought were children, but they were actually soliciting detectives posing as children between the ages of 7 and 15.

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Fifty-eight people were arrested in the operation, according to officials. Several of them were charged with human trafficking for trying to "purchase" children for sex.

One suspect, Wyatt Bernstein, was identified as a youth football coach. Investigators said he was trying to meet up with a 15-year-old boy.  

Another suspect was identified as John Goodman. Investigators said he was trying to meet up with a 7-year-old child for sex.

Investigators said another suspect, Matthew Szilagyi, tried to meet up with a 14-year-old girl at the Marion County Jail.

Matthew Szilagyi was arrested during an undercover sting operation in Marion County. (Credit: Marion County Sheriff's Office)

"We caught illegals, we caught legals, immigrants, fathers, coaches, husbands, and even a student," Wood said.

Woods was joined by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass, and Florida Highway Patrol colonel Gary Howze at the news conference.

Who was arrested?

Jesus Santiago Colon, 30

  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device

Adriana Ilao Orpilla, 22

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device

Nickolas Hester, 28

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device

Dylan Frantz, 38

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device
  • Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
  • Posession of Marijuana (Under 20 grams)

David Robinson, 64

  • Probation Violation x2
  • Use of a Computer to Solicit Parent/Guardian Consent
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Jose Ortiz Garcia, 55

  • Probation Violation
  • Use of a Computer to Solicit Parent/Guardian Consent
  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Solicit Parent/Guardian Consent

William Meister, 36

  • Cocaine Possession
  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device

Matthew Szilagyi, 29

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child

Collin Beegle, 27

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Rafael Romero Chavez, 33

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child

David Smith, 22

  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child x2
  • Kidnapping x 2
  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Micky Barber, 29

  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child x2
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony
  • Kidnapping x2
  • Transmit Info Harmful to Minors

Wyatt Bernstein, 27

  • Use of a Computer to Solicit Parent/Guardian Consent
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Michael Vitoff,

  • Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

Orrin Armstead, 37

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Jorge Alva Collazos, 44

  • Engage in Human Trafficking Labor or Service Less than 18 Years Old
  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Christopher Coulter, 31

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Obstruction without Violence

Brian McVicker, 65

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Matthew White, 40

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony
  • Transmit Info Harmful to Minors

Timothy Lawson, 56

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Chad Bouwens, 32

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony
  • Use or Display of a Weapon During a Felony

Shannon Scarberry, 43

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony
  • Obstruction without Violence

Andrew Ruch, 32

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Travian Sesler, 28

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Cody Luft, 32

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony

Alexis Lara Guardado, 25

  • Travel to Meet After Use of a Computer to Lure a Minor
  • Use of a Computer to Seduce/Solicit Lure Child
  • Use of a Two-Way Communication Device to Facilitate Felony
  • Transmit Harmful Info to Minors

Joshua Head, 36

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Transmit info harmful to minors
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Jeremiah Johnson, 26

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Transmit info harmful to minors
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child

Philip Stutsman, 48

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Brian Verka

  • Attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity

Waseem Dilshad, 37

  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child misrepresent age 
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

John Leininger, 60

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Engage in human trafficking labor or service child less than 18 YOA

Kadyn Russell, 21

  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Transmit info harmful to minors
  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child

Timothy Templeton, 48

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Dalton Tyler, 28

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
  • Marijuana possession (not more than 20 grams)

Robert Fam, 30

  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child

Jesus Padilla, 39

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Travel to meet use of computer solicit guardian
  • Engage in human trafficking labor or service child less than 18 YOA
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Payton Sims, 23

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child

Ashay Shakes, 31

  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Israel Rosario, 35

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child

Eric Morin, 34

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Transmit info harmful to minors
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Use of computer to solicit parent guardian consent x4
  • Travel to meet use of computer solicit guardian

Sebastian Diaz Ortiz, 28

  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Jose Navarro, 44

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Obstruction without violence

Roosevelt Beasley, 51

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child misrepresent age 
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child

John Goodman, 53

  • Use of computer to solicit parent guardian consent
  • Travel to meet use of computer solicit guardian
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Obstruction of evidence

Robert Mixon, 30

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child 
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Patrick Haan, 26

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child 
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Transmit info harmful to minors

Kingston McAllister, 16

  • Use of computer to solicit parent guardian consent
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Carl Allsop, 46

  • Engage in human trafficking labor or service child less than 18 YOA
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child

Jordan Richmond, 47

  • Use of computer to solicit parent guardian consent
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony

Savian Eiland, 20

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child 
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child

Kameron Works, 31

  • Use of computer to seduce solicit lure child 
  • Travel to meet after use of computer to lure child
  • Use of two way communication device to facilitate felony
  • Moving traffic violation


 

The Source: This story was written with information released by the Marion County Sheriff's Office. 

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