A four-day multi-agency sweep, dubbed Operation Unified Watch, has resulted in the arrest of 19 individuals for failing to comply with mandatory sexual offender and predator registration requirements. The operation specifically targeted registered individuals believed to be violating Florida’s laws.
The collaborative effort was spearheaded by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), with participation from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Saint Augustine Police Department, and the Florida Department of Corrections.
During the investigation, contact was made with 207 suspects across the county. The 19 arrests include two registered sexual predators and 17 registered sexual offenders.
The individuals arrested face a range of charges related to non-compliance with state registration laws, including:
- Failure to report for registration.
- Failure to obtain a Florida driver’s license or identification card.
- Failure to properly report changes to employment, vehicles, email addresses, and internet identifiers.
The list of those arrested is as follows: Bradley Ayres, 52; Harold Bing, 67; Taysha Boone, 34; Rowland Bryant, 68; William Davis, 30; Randy Gadson, 64; Carl Graham, 36; John Leon Guerrero, 68; Donald Haley, 52; Larry Hall, 46; Ryan Hartley, 43; Christopher King, 54; John Murwin, 51; Frank O’Neill, 62; John Osgood, 62; Douglas Rice, 60; Cleon Scott, 43; Justin Sullivan, 38; and Nathan Zani, 59.
The law enforcement agencies involved are pursuing 36 additional arrest warrants.
Investigators also confirmed that two sexual offenders, Joseph Vanderbush and Jack Faria, had absconded from their residences. Vanderbush was subsequently located and arrested in Levy County on October 2nd. Faria, however, remains at large as of the operation’s conclusion.
FDLE’s Missing Persons and Offender Enforcement Division routinely partners with local and federal agencies across the state to verify compliance with Florida’s registration laws. These laws mandate that sexual offenders and predators report to their local sheriff’s office with current information, including residential addresses, vehicle details, internet identifiers, and conviction information.
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