A Florida man who was a fugitive from a massive anti-predator sting was taken into custody Wednesday after a multi-agency search. Kyle Mullen, 36, of Jacksonville, was arrested at his home on October 8, 2025, on an outstanding warrant from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office’s “Operation Fool Around and Find Out – Again / Operation Child Protector VII.”
Mullen had been wanted since the conclusion of the week-long operation in September, which focused on human trafficking and child predators.
He’s been booked into the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detention facility and will be extradited to Polk County to face charges of Transmission of Material Harmful to a Minor (F3) and Use of a Two-Way Communication Device in Commission of a Felony (F3).
Online Taunts and Prior Arrest
The warrant stems from a conversation Mullen had with an undercover detective posing as a 12-year-old girl during the sting, which ran from September 8th to the 14th. During the exchange, Mullen sent the detective a nude photo and claimed he would drive at speeds of “200 MPH” to meet the “girl” in Polk County.
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In the online chat, Mullen made light of law enforcement, reportedly stating, “Grady fing Judd*” and “F* Polk County, I got arrested there like 2 months ago**.”
Detectives confirmed that Mullen had a recent brush with the law in Polk County, having been arrested in Davenport on July 2nd after being found in a truck behind a closed Auto Zone and charged with possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia.
He was released on bond the following day.
U.S. Marshals Apprehend Suspect
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force successfully located Mullen in Jacksonville and took him into custody without incident.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd addressed Mullen’s arrest in a statement, emphasizing the dedication of his agency to protecting children.
“Child predators like Kyle Mullen, who groom children online for the purpose of sexually abusing them, don’t stop until they are caught – which is why our investigations don’t stop until we catch them,” Sheriff Judd said. “If you prey on a child in our county, we will do everything in our power to identify you, charge you, and take you into custody.”
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