The investigation leads to several arrests for child abuse

During an eight-day undercover sting operation in February called “Operation Child Predator V,” area police officers filed 27 criminal complaints against eight suspects accused of crimes against children.

Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, along with police in Lake Wales, Auburndale, Davenport and Lakeland, as well as the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office, have charged eight suspects with crimes related to those who exploit and sexually abuse children for illegal sexual activity travel.

According to investigators, the suspects “communicated with and questioned children or adults who had access to children online.”

John Adams, 61, of Dunedin, Florida. sent a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover officer. He reportedly communicated with an adult who had access to a child and expressed his desire to pay money for sexual acts on the child.

Adams said he was a gentleman and respectful and he wanted to “enjoy this experience with her.” Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for him and he is still at large.

Courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office

ON BIG: 61-year-old John Adams of Dunedin, Florida. is wanted and sought by police. Adams allegedly sent a social media message in response to an online ad from an undercover officer and communicated with an adult who had access to a child, expressing his desire to pay money to perform sexual acts on the child. He reportedly said he was a gentleman and respectful and that he wanted to “enjoy this experience with her.” Investigators obtained a warrant for his arrest and he is still at large.

Adams is accused of using a computer to recruit a guardian and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony.

Five suspects showed up at an undercover location in Polk County at different times to sexually abuse children. These five wanted to pay an adult hundreds of dollars to have sex with a person they thought was a child and were charged with human trafficking, a life felony.

Investigators obtained arrest warrants for three other suspects who had committed crimes against children online. Two of these suspects are in custody, but one remains at large.

“We conduct such proactive operations to ensure the safety of our children,” said Polk Sheriff Grady Judd. “I am so grateful to our detectives and partner agencies for their hard work to protect our children from predators who sexually abuse, groom and corrupt our children.”

“Parents need to be fully focused on their child’s affairs when it comes to electronic devices that allow them to access online games, mobile applications, text messaging or the Internet.”

Among those arrested was 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 officer. Hayes communicated with an adult who had access to a child and expressed his desire to pay $250.00 for sexual acts on the child. Hayes also sent the undercover agent several explicit images of his genitals. Hayes traveled to the undercover location and was arrested. He told investigators that he was retired from the U.S. Army, was married and had three children.

Edmundo Dasilva, 37, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, was accused of sending a social media message in response to a complaint from an undercover officer. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child and expressed his desire to pay $60.00 to perform sexual acts on the child. He said that he was traveling through Florida and would like to meet up and that he had just turned 18. Dasilva traveled to the undercover location and was arrested. He had two condoms in his bag and told investigators that he was married and worked 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 online ad from an undercover officer. He spoke to 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 half an 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 online ad from an undercover officer. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child and expressed his desire to pay $225.00 for sexual 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 officer. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child and expressed his desire to pay $80.00 for sexual acts on the child. He traveled to the crime scene with the cash and a condom in his pocket. After his arrest, investigators learned that Merrill was registered as a sex offender in Georgia due to a 2005 statutory rape conviction. He was previously arrested by PCSO in 2017 as part of 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 officer. He communicated with an adult who had access to a child and expressed his desire to pay $100.00 for sexual acts on the child. He repeatedly asked for photos of the child and also said, “I’ve seen enough to watch a predator show on TV” and also said, “Grady, don’t play.” Investigators obtained a warrant for his arrest and arrested him on March 7, 2024 in custody. He told investigators that he was a bus mechanic and worked for Polk County Public Schools.

Manuel Canasi, 45, of Land O’ Lakes, Florida. was charged with sending a social media message in response to an ad posted online by an undercover officer. He spoke to an adult who had access to a child and expressed his desire to pay $100 for half an hour alone with the child. He sent the undercover agent a screenshot of Sheriff Judd giving a press conference and said, “The sheriff out there is a tough guy and he doesn’t play.”

Canasi reportedly attempted to travel to the undercover location several times but was unable to do so due to his job and other family commitments. According to investigators, he is married and has a son and two teenage daughters.

WANTED:

Courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office

James Johnson

Police investigators are also searching for the whereabouts of two sex offenders who still have outstanding arrest warrants, including James Macarthur Johnson, 39, and Antone Renar Starks, 48.

Johnson is a sex offender due to a 2019 conviction for unlawful sexual activity with a minor. He failed to report his residency to the Florida PCSO and DHSMV and therefore has a warrant out for his arrest on two counts of failure to comply with sex offender registration laws.

Starks is a sex offender who was convicted in 2000 of lewd and lascivious battery on a child under 16. He has failed to update his license with the Florida DHSMV and has a warrant out for his arrest for failure to comply with sex offender registration laws.

Courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Antone Sparks

If you have information about the whereabouts of Johnson or Starks and would like to remain anonymous, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers in one of four ways:

· CALL 1-888-400 TIPS (8477).

· SELECT **TIPS from your mobile phone

· VISIT http://www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com and click on “Submit a Tip.”

· Download the free “P3tips” app on your smartphone or tablet.