A multi-agency operation targeting non-compliant sexual offenders and predators has resulted in the arrest of 10 individuals in Wakulla County and the surrounding area.
The sweep, a collaborative effort between the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), focused on violations of Florida’s mandatory registration laws, including unreported online accounts.
OnlyFans Leads to Initial Violations
The operation began in May after investigators determined that multiple registered sexual offenders appeared to have unreported accounts on the social media platform OnlyFans. Florida law requires registrants to report all internet identifiers and accounts within 48 hours of use.
Through the investigation, nine registrants were found to be in violation of these registration requirements, including eight sexual offenders and one sexual predator. A tenth target was also identified and arrested after being found present at an elementary school without properly notifying administrative staff.
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Warrants Executed Across the Region
WCSO initially arrested two of the suspects during the investigative phase. Arrest warrants were obtained for the remaining eight subjects.
On October 7, FDLE’s Enforcement and Investigative Support Bureau (EIS) and the FDLE Tallahassee Regional Operations Center, in coordination with WCSO and HSI, served the warrants.
Five suspects were apprehended in Wakulla County, one in Tallahassee, and one warrant was executed at the Taylor County Jail where the suspect was already incarcerated. The final warrant was served on October 8 when the suspect was caught returning to Wakulla County.
The 10 suspects face various charges, including failure to properly report changes to vehicles, email addresses, and internet identifiers, as well as loitering or prowling in close proximity to children. The cases are being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit.
Arrested Individuals:
- Houston Bennett, 38, sexual offender
- Charles Deese, 28, sexual offender
- John Haynes, 41, sexual offender
- Joshua Martin, 39, sexual offender
- Richard Messer, 52, sexual offender
- Sumanth Bala Rayapreddy, 41, sexual offender
- John Sanders, 20, sexual offender
- Spencer Tinson, 56, sexual offender
- Carlton Willis, 63, sexual offender
- Shay Smith, 28, sexual predator
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Ongoing Compliance Enforcement
FDLE’s Missing Persons and Offender Enforcement Division routinely partners with local and federal law enforcement agencies across the state to verify compliance with Florida’s stringent registration laws. These laws require sexual offenders and predators to report crucial information such as residential addresses, vehicle information, and internet identifiers to their local sheriff’s office.
Citizens are encouraged to utilize the state’s resources to stay informed. Florida’s Sex Offender Registry can be searched online at the Sexual Offenders and Predators Search or by downloading the FDLE Mobile App.
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