Nearly 50 Florida sex offenders arrested after being caught with unreported online dating accounts: FDLE
TAMPA, Fla. - If you’re looking for love on the dating apps this Valentine’s Day, you may want to double-check who you’ve been communicating with after investigators say nearly 50 registered sex offenders/predators in Florida were arrested for having unreported online dating accounts.
The backstory:
The FDLE teamed up with the Tampa Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service for Operation Matchmaker.
It was a year-long operation that targeted sexual offender and sexual predator registrants who had unreported online dating accounts in violation of Florida’s registration laws.
READ: Man grabs child, throws her onto bed after luring her with pet ferrets: Affidavit
The joint operation was conducted in partnership with Match Group Americas, which owns/operates multiple dating applications, including match.com, used throughout the country.
CLICK HERE:>>> Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Forty-four people were arrested during Operation Matchmaker after investigators say they discovered online dating accounts associated with registered sexual offenders/predators.
FDLE says all confirmed accounts were immediately terminated by Match Group Americas per their user agreement policies which prohibit sexual offenders and predators from accessing their applications.
Those arrested include:
- Jose Aguirre, sexual offender
- Charles Allen, sexual predator
- Donnell Armstead, sexual offender
- Nicolas Bergin, sexual offender
- Marcus Bostic, sexual offender
- Jack Bozeman, sexual offender
- Donald Brown, sexual offender
- Christopher Burston, sexual offender
- David Coronel, sexual offender
- Anna Cosenza, sexual offender
- Gary Daughtry, sexual offender
- Jacob Doyle, sexual offender
- Isaac Edwards, sexual offender
- Gary Eichner, sexual offender
- Garry Gallagher, sexual offender
- Bernard Gold, sexual offender
- Julius Halyard, sexual PREDATOR
- Chad Hanson, sexual offender
- James Hill, sexual offender
- Daimanion Jones, sexual predator
- Johnnie Lane, sexual offender
- Gregory Miller, sexual predator
- Cheryl Vazquez, sexual predator
- Jorge Nieto, sexual offender
- Jacqueline Numata, sexual offender
- Stephen Olman, sexual predator
- Arthur Passeri, sexual offender
- Geremi Pierce, sexual offender
- Howard Renew, sexual offender
- Salvador Rivera, sexual offender
- Anthony Rodriguez, sexual offender
- Ian Rouse, sexual offender
- Michael Rowland, sexual offender
- Paul Shamonsky, sexual offender
- Matthew Spedding, sexual offender
- William Stratman, sexual offender
- Guarionex Villate, sexual offender
- Bakeebakeem Whitfield, sexual offender
Click here to search Florida’s sex offender registry.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:
- Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV
- Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android
- Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines
- Download the SkyTower Radar app
- Sign up for FOX 13’s daily newsletter