JACKSONVILLE, FL — A 41-year-old Jacksonville man has been arrested by federal task force officers, marking the 31st arrest in a massive undercover digital sting dubbed “Operation Checkmate.”
Jermaine Lonon was apprehended on Friday, July 10, 2026, at his apartment on Jacksonville’s Westside. He faces felony charges for using the internet to solicit what he believed were two young teenage girls for sex.
Undercover Detectives Pose as Teens
The arrest is the latest development in Operation Checkmate, a multi-day sweep conducted by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) targeting online child predators.
According to JSO, Lonon utilized an online classifieds website to strike up chats with two separate profiles. During the digital conversations, Lonon explicitly solicited both individuals for sexual encounters, even after the profiles explicitly disclosed their underage, teenage status.
Unbeknownst to Lonon, the profiles were operated by highly trained undercover detectives assigned to JSO’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit.
Arrested at Westside Apartment by Federal Marshals
While Lonon did not ultimately travel to a physical meeting location before the operation concluded, detectives established that his explicit online solicitation of minors constituted a completed felony under Florida law. Investigators secured a formal warrant for his arrest at the close of the sting.
To execute the warrant, JSO coordinated with the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force. Federal officers located Lonon at his Westside residence and took him into custody without incident on July 10.
Operation Checkmate Ongoing: Lonon’s arrest marks the 31st suspect captured under the initiative. JSO officials confirmed they are actively pursuing at least one more outstanding felony warrant identified during the operation, warning that their ICAC Unit works around the clock to monitor local networks.
If you suspect someone is trying to lure a child online, notify the Cyber Tipline by calling 1.800.THE.LOST.