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

MARION COUNTY, Fla. - A total of 58 men were arrested during a 5-day undercover operation targeting alleged child sex predators in Marion County, Sheriff Billy Woods and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier revealed during a news conference on Thursday.

Operation Bad Habits: 58 men arrested

What we know:

During the 5-day sting, dubbed "Operation Bad Habits," the alleged offenders thought they were talking to young children online, but in reality, they were talking with undercover detectives posing as children, Sheriff Woods and Florida AG Uthmeier said.

Those arrested allegedly had sexually explicit conversations with the undercover officers, who were posing as kids between the ages of 7 and 15, while others agreed to meet the undercover decoys in public for planned sexual activity, they said.

Local perspective:

Several people were arrested on multiple charges, including use of a computer to seduce/solicit a child, travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a minor, use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, or human trafficking.

Officials said some of those arrested had access to kids or children, including a father, coaches, and teachers.

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.

What they're saying:

"We caught illegals, we caught legals, immigrants, fathers, coaches, husbands, and even a student." - Sheriff Billy Woods.

"With nearly 1,700 predators arrested since I took office, we are just getting started," said Attorney General James Uthmeier in a statement. "58 more child predators are behind bars and away from our kids because Florida has the best sheriffs in the nation who continue to put themselves in harm’s way to keep our kids safe."

"The fact that this many predators are actively trying to prey on the vulnerable children in our community is deeply disturbing," said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney, in a statement. "My office is proud to partner with Sheriff Woods and Attorney General Uthmeier to continue to conduct these covert operations to apprehend these predators before they cause real harm. Taking these offenders off the streets makes our community safer for our youth.  We will relentlessly pursue justice in these cases."

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