JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 33-year-old man has been arrested as the 32nd and final suspect in “Operation Checkmate,” a multi-day undercover sting targeting individuals attempting to solicit children for sex online, law enforcement officials announced.
Landon Cross was taken into custody on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, by a U.S. Marshals Task Force at his Southside apartment after detectives secured an active warrant for his arrest.
Undercover Detective Intercepts Solicitation
According to investigators, Cross engaged in an online chat exchange with an account he believed belonged to a teenage boy. During the interaction, Cross solicited the “teen” for sexual acts.
Unbeknownst to Cross, he was actually communicating with a highly trained undercover detective from a dedicated Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit.
Although Cross did not travel to a physical meeting location, authorities stressed that soliciting sex from a minor—even after the undercover detective explicitly disclosed the fictitious teenager’s age—remains a severe felony offense. Detectives continued gathering digital evidence and obtained a warrant following the conclusion of the initial operation phase.
Operation Checkmate Nets 32 Suspects
Cross’s apprehension officially brings Operation Checkmate to a close, bringing the total number of individuals charged to 32.
Authorities noted that the arrested suspects represent a wide array of backgrounds across the region:
- 6 suspects were determined to be in the country illegally.
- 3 suspects had previous arrest records for similar predatory sex offenses.
“While Cross was the last suspect identified during Operation Checkmate, let us be clear: we will never finish our fight. We also have a dedicated Internet Crimes Against Children Unit with detectives working around the clock to stop anyone exploiting children.”
Law Enforcement Statement: Authorities emphasized that while this specific operation has concluded, online enforcement efforts remain active around the clock: