Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
During an eight-day-long undercover sting investigation during February entitled "Operation Child Predator V," area police detectives filed 27 felony charges against eight suspects accused of crimes against children.
Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives, along with police in Lake Wales, Auburndale, Davenport, Lakeland, and the Hardee County Sheriff's Office, charged eight suspects with crimes related to those who prey upon and travel to meet children for unlawful sexual activity.
The suspects "communicated with and solicited who they thought were children or adults who had access to children online" according to investigators.
John Adams, 61, of Dunedin, FL. sent a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective. He reportedly communicated with an adult who had access to a child, and expressed his desire to pay to perform sex acts on the child.
Adams said he was a gentleman and respectful and that he wanted to "enjoy this experience with her." Detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest and he is still at large.
AT LARGE: 61-year-old John Adams of Dunedin, FL. is wanted and being sought by police. Adams allegedly sent a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective and communicated with an adult who had access to a child, expressing his desire to pay to perform sex acts on the child. He reportedly said he was a gentleman and respectful and that he wanted to "enjoy this experience with her." Detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest and he is still at large.
Adams is charged with use of a computer to solicit guardian and use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
Five suspects showed up to an undercover location in Polk County at separate times to sexually batter children. Those five wanted to pay an adult hundreds of dollars to have sex with who they thought was a child and were charged with human trafficking, a life felony.
Detectives obtained arrest warrants for three other suspects who committed crimes against who they thought were children online. Two of those suspects are in custody, but one, Adams, remains at large.
"We conduct proactive operations like this to help keep our children safe," said Polk Sheriff Grady Judd. "I'm so thankful for our detectives and partnering agencies for their hard work to keep our children safe from predators who sexually abuse, groom, and corrupt our children.
"Parents need to be 'all up in their child's business' when it comes to electronic devices that give them access to online gaming, mobile applications, texting, or the internet" Judd added. "Check their devices regularly, and ensure parental controls are enabled to keep predators like these away from your kids."
Among the arrested were 41-year-old Larry William Hayes of Plant City. Hayes reportedly sent a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective. Hayes communicated with an adult who had access to a child, and expressed his desire to pay $250.00 to perform sex acts on the child. Hayes also sent several explicit images of his genitalia to the undercover detective. Hayes traveled to the undercover location and was arrested. He told detectives that he is retired from the U.S. Army, and is married with three children.
Edmundo Dasilva, 37, of Holly Springs, NC was accused of sending a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child, and expressed his desire to pay $60.00 to perform sex acts on the child. He said that he would be traveling through Florida and would like to meet, and that he had just turned 18 years old. Dasilva traveled to the undercover location and was arrested. He had two condoms in his pocket, and told detectives that he is married and works for Homeland Security as a Transportation Security Officer.
Nelson Louis, 37, of Tampa was charged after he reportedly sent a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child, and said he "just wanted to have fun before he went to work." He agreed to pay $100.00 for a half hour of sex with the child, and traveled to the undercover location where he was arrested.
Hasan Abu Halemeh, 27, of Brandon was accused of sending a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child, and expressed his desire to pay $225.00 to perform sex acts on the child. He asked if the girl was a virgin and if he would be "her first." He traveled to the undercover location and was arrested.
Willie Merrill, 45, of Plant City, reportedly sent a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child and expressed his desire to pay $80.00 to perform sex acts on the child. He traveled to the location with the cash and a condom in his pockets. After being arrested, detectives learned Merrill is a registered sex offender for a 2005 conviction of statutory rape in Georgia. He was previously arrested by PCSO in 2017 during an undercover prostitution investigation, for which he spent 364 days in jail.
Brandon Ray, 34, of Mulberry, reportedly sent a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child, and expressed his desire to pay $100.00 to perform sex acts on the child. He repeatedly asked for photos of the child and also said, "I've watched enough to catch a predator show on TV" and also said, "Grady don't play." Detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest and took him into custody on March 7, 2024. He told detectives he is a bus mechanic employed by Polk County Public Schools.
Manuel Canasi, 45, of Land O' Lakes, FL. was charged with sending a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover detective. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child, and expressed his desire to pay $100 for a half hour alone with the child. He sent the undercover detective a screenshot of Sheriff Judd holding a news conference, saying, "That Sheriff out there is a hard a** and doesn't play."
Canasi reportedly tried several times to travel to the undercover location but was unable due to his job and other family obligations. According to investigators he is married and has a son and two teenaged daughters.
WANTED:
James Johnson
Police investigators are also seeking the whereabouts of two sex offenders still sought on open warrants, including James Macarthur Johnson, 39 and Antone Renar Starks, 48.
Johnson is a sexual offender based on a 2019 conviction for unlawful sexual activity with a minor. He has failed to report his residence to PCSO and the Florida DHSMV and therefore has a warrant for his arrest for two counts of Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration laws.
Starks is a sexual offender based on a 2000 conviction for lewd and lascivious battery on a child under 16. He has failed to update his license with the Florida DHSMV and has a warrant for his arrest for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration laws.
Antone Sparks
If you have information regarding Johnson's or Starks' whereabouts and wish to remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers in one of four ways:
· CALL 1-888-400 TIPS (8477)
· DIAL **TIPS from your cell phone
· VISIT the website http://www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on "Submit A Tip,"
· DOWNLOAD the free "P3tips" app on your smartphone or tablet.
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