Pinellas SVU arrests 15 during chat investigation

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ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Pinellas County Sheriff's Office investigators arrested 15 men who arranged personal meetings with online decoys they thought to be minors.

Investigators said one of the suspects, arrested for traveling to meet a minor, told investigators that he traveled three and a half hours from Lake Worth to meet a 13-year-old girl.

One identified himself as a nurse at a local hospital.

Another, Timothy Allen, is listed as a registered sex offender who either pled guilty to or was convicted of - lewd or lascivious molestation, victim 12-15 years old, offender 18 or older in 2000; lewd or lascivious battery, victim 12-15 years old in 2006.

Pinellas investigators with the special victim's, crimes against children, homicide/robbery, computer forensics and community policing units conducted the five-day operation, called Operation Wayfarer. The purpose was to look for people chatting online for the purpose of meeting and engaging in sexual activity with minors.

From Wednesday, January 20 through Sunday, Jan. 24 investigators posed as minors on websites labeled as online classified pages, social media and chat rooms.

Investigators worked to establish rapport with subjects and developed cases where they arranged to meet with for the purpose of sexual activity.

Investigators said the suspects explicitly sought out minors for sex.

Those arrested range in age from 20 to 47 and were arrested on various charges.

Arrests and charges:

Timothy David Allen (Registered Sex Offender)

36
St. Petersburg
Charges: Traveling to Meet a Minor

Hector R. Paz Jr.

21
Seminole
Charges: Certain Uses of Computer Services or Devices Prohibited, Driving While License Suspended

Jared S. Sanchez

33
Palm Harbor
Charges: Traveling to Meet a Minor, Transmission of Material Harmful to Minors, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Neil M. Ganchero

40
Clearwater
Charges: Traveling to Meet a Minor, Certain Uses of Computer Services or Devices Prohibited

Dennis W. Felton

23
Tampa
Charges: Traveling to Meet a Minor, Transmission of Material Harmful to Minors, Online Solicitation of a Minor, Possession of Marijuana.

Morris J. Poole

29
St. Petersburg
Charges: Traveling to Meet a Minor, Driving While License Suspended or Revoked, warrant arrest for Violation of Probation Grand Theft, Possession of Marijuana

Terrell Newsome