At a news conference Wednesday, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook announced the arrest of 10 men in connection with “Operation Shining Light,” an undercover sting aimed at catching those using the internet to sexually exploit children.
Those arrested ranged in age from 19 to 53 years old, and all believed they were chatting online with a child who was either 13 or 14 years old, Cook said.
One of the men engaged two different undercover chatters during the four-day operation, Cook said.
The operation ran from Aug. 2-6.
Cook said the delay in announcing the arrests after the sting operation was because investigators were working to ensure “that the charges would stick.”
“We wanted to make sure that we had done everything to the fullest extent possible and that we had done it right,” Cook said. “There’s no telling how many victims we saved by getting these 10 men off the streets.”
Three of the men now face federal charges, including one arrested in California and one arrested in Gainesville, Georgia.
Local and federal agencies played essential roles in the operation’s execution and success, the Sheriff’s Office said, acknowledging specifically:
Clay County Sheriff’s OfficeHomeland Security Investigations (HSI)Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO)State Attorney’s Office (SAO), 4th Judicial CircuitFederal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJSO)Orange Park Police DepartmentIntercept Task ForceOperation Light Shine
NOTE: News4JAX is waiting on the list of names, ages and charges for the men arrested. This story will be updated when the Sheriff’s Office sends out that information.
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