Former Red Sox pitcher among 27 men arrested by
Florida child sex sting
5/22/25
**Operation
Rescue Our Children (R.O.C.)** involved a five-day sting by the Jacksonville
Sheriff's Office and partners, resulting in the arrest of 24 men who used the
internet to sexually exploit children. Undercover detectives posed as minors on
platforms like dating sites, chat rooms, and gaming sites to gather evidence.
Suspects often brought dangerous items like firearms or drugs when attempting
to meet the purported children. Notable arrests included a JSO civilian
employee, an active-duty sailor, and individuals with prior convictions. The operation
emphasized public safety and the importance of vigilance in protecting children
online.
Additionally,
**Operation Valiant Knights** led to 27 arrests, including former Red Sox
pitcher Austin Maddox, who resisted arrest after attempting to meet a
14-year-old. Other arrests involved individuals like a school maintenance
worker and a respiratory therapist seeking to harm very young children.
Authorities stressed the need for parental monitoring, education, and reporting
suspicious online activity to prevent exploitation.
Original
Article
https://www.jaxsheriff.org/News/Operation-ROC.aspx
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Original Article
https://www.jaxsheriff.org/News/Operation-ROC.aspx
Operation Rescue Our Children (R.O.C.) 24 Men Arrested in Operation
R.O.C.: Rescue Our Children May 22, 2025 Over the course of a five-day
operation, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, along with local, state and
federal partners, arrested 24 men who used the internet to sexually exploit
children. These suspects proved they would meet children anywhere, from a house
to gas stations. Some suspects brought condoms or drugs; others had firearms
with them.
To watch an in-depth video of the operation, please click on the video
below or visit JSO's YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/JaxSheriff.
The conversations began in our chatter command center. Undercover
detectives from across the state are expertly trained to chat with people who
may be looking to exploit children. These detectives build profiles on dating
websites, chat rooms, and even popular gaming sites like Minecraft or Roblox,
using altered photos of themselves to appear younger. Within minutes of their
profiles being active, they start receiving inappropriate messages and photos.
Once a conversation begins, our chatters let the predator know they’re
underage, but that often won’t end the conversation. When the chatter has
enough evidence against the suspect, they coordinate with the command center to
set up a takedown.
Detectives are staged at locations across the city, waiting for an alert
from the command center that a predator is on his way to meet the child. Some
detectives are undercover, posing as a child, to act as a decoy for the
predator. Once the suspect arrives, our detectives immediately arrest him.
Each takedown is carefully planned and executed so the public is never in
danger.
Below is a list of the 24 men arrested in this case:
Marwan Rukab (59) Nathaniel Johnson (36) Marcus Carrero (40) Corey Fisher
(40) Fisher had been chatting with detectives prior to this operation and
continued chatting with multiple detectives during the operation. Gregory
Bethel (54) Bethel was a JSO civilian employee at the time of his arrest. He
resigned immediately after his arrest. Andres Eduardo Gonzalez Pena (41)
Elydiel De Jesus Vega (32) Daniel Hodge (46) Hodge was also charged with
Possession of a Control Substance (Methamphetamines). Cleshawn Robinson (34)
Oscar Orlando Perozo Torbello (24) Torbello was in the country illegally. Craig
Finn (51) Luis Maldonado (23) Maldonado had a gun in his car when he arrived to
the takedown location. Freddy Meneses (43) Benjamin Huger (24) Huger was also
charged with Possession of a Control Substance (Marijuana). Javon Simmons (25)
Giuliano Vignutti (29) Kyle Judd (34) Judd had previously been arrested for
similar crimes during JSO Operation Blue Hawk. He was convicted and served
nearly two years in prison. Michael Wirth (33) Ray Scarboro (21) Scarboro is an
active duty sailor in the Navy. He had a gun in his car when he arrived to the
takedown location. Vincent Hurtch (61) Stephen Brown (36) Charles Cobb (59)
Cobb traveled from Orlando to meet the child. He was planning to bring the
child back to Orlando with him. Sean Small (39) Leon Sessions (37) Sessions had
a gun in his waistband when detectives apprehended him. Detectives continue to
follow up on outstanding leads and anticipate several additional arrests.
“If you’re still outstanding, turn yourself in,” said Sheriff T.K.
Waters. “If not, we’re going to hunt you down. We do not tolerate, under any
circumstances, you hurting our kids. We’re always there. We’re always
listening. We’re always paying attention. If you’re doing it, we’re going to
catch you, and we’re going to bring you to justice.”
Suspicious activity online should be reported to JSO by calling
904.630.0500 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by
calling 1.800.THE.LOST.
Parents are urged to keep these important safety reminders in mind while
children are using the internet: Speak openly and often about online risks. Let
them know they can come to you without fear of punishment. Remind children that
"Stranger Danger" applies online too. Remind them to never share
personal information with someone online. Emphasize they should never meet
someone in person without your permission and supervision. Monitor the apps
your child uses. Use parental controls and monitoring software to block
inappropriate content and track activity online. Remember, just because an app
appears to be safe doesn’t mean it is. Keep a close eye on how your child is
interacting with others online. Be alert for warning signs. These warning signs
include secretive behavior (especially while on their devices), sudden mood
changes, receiving gifts from unknown people, or talking about new online
"friends" you haven’t met. Educate yourself. Understand how these
predators operate so you can be better equipped to spot red flags. Know how
your child’s favorite games and apps work.
For more information related to this operation, please visit the
Published Media Requests page on JSO's Public Records Portal.
Former Red Sox pitcher among 27 men arrested by Florida child sex sting
by: Matthew Holloway 2024-05-23 Source: Law Enforcement Today News image Austin
Maddox arrested for child sex crimes by is licensed under Jacksonville
Sheriff's Office JACKSONVILLE, FL - The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office led by
Sheriff T.K. Waters and accompanied by local, state, and federal partners with
the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested 27 men during the
five-day "Operation Valiant Knights," a child-sex trafficking sting.
Among the men arrested was former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox whose
image has spread virally sporting a swollen eye and battered face after he
reportedly resisted arrest.
Waters told reporters during a press conference Monday that the combined
task force included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland
Security Investigations The Intercept task force, the Naval Criminal
Investigative Services, four neighboring Sheriffs, and the US Marshall Service
as well as the State Attorney General and U.S. Attorneys.
The Sheriff explained, "The objective of this operation was to
identify and arrest suspects who solicit children to engage in sexual acts
using electronic devices undercover detectives posing as children chatted
online with these adults. These adults solicited sexual activity and committed
to engaging in sex acts with purported minors at pre-arranged locations.
"Once these adults arrived at these locations to meet these minors
they were immediately arrested. Twenty-four child predators who traveled to
meet minors were arrested during this operation and three additional Predators
were arrested after follow-up investigations were conducted."
As reported by The New York Post, footage was released by the Sheriff's
Office showing Maddox being arrested at the location where he believed he would
meet a 14-year-old girl for a sexual encounter, the authorities said. The video
was posted to X by WFLA-TV.
EX-RED SOX PLAYER ARRESTED: A Florida sheriff said ex-Red Sox pitcher
Austin Maddox was arrested after he tried to meet a teen girl for sex but got
caught by deputies instead. Read more: https://t.co/6fu7ZeFpTY pic.twitter.com/MgHkmW4z4z
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) May 20, 2024 The local outlet reported that according
to Maddox's inmate profile he has been charged with "traveling to meet
after using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child, solicitation of a child
via computer to engage in sexual conduct, unlawful use of two-way communication
device, and produce/promote performance which includes sexual performance by a
child."
In addition to Maddox, Waters told reporters that Kevin Pierce, a
maintenance worker for Duvall County Public Schools at the time of his arrest
had traveled to a pre-arranged location with the intent of engaging in sexual
conduct with a 13-year-old child.
The Sheriff later said that another suspect, a respiratory therapist
named Chad Salowski, was arrested seeking to engage in sexual activity with an
eight-year-old child. The Sheriff noted Salowski's case in particular saying,
"Let that sink in: an eight-year-old."
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