Clearwater Man Arrested in Online Sex Offender Sting
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested 30 people in Operation Intercept II.
A Clearwater man is among 30 alleged sex offenders who have been arrested by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office as part of Operation Intercept II. According to the sheriff's office, the suspects responded to Internet-based ads or social media posts and engaged in sexually explicit written and verbal conversations, ultimately traveling to a location in Sarasota County with the intent to have sex with a child or children. When the suspects arrived, detectives placed them under arrest. “This was our second operation to see what criminals prowled the Internet for the purpose of sexually exploiting children,” said Sheriff Tom Knight in a news release. “We saw some frightening things that parents need to be aware of to properly protect their …
