Grady Judd: Husbands, veterans and youth football coach among those arrested in child porn operation
BARTOW, Fla. - Thirteen men -- some identified as husbands, one is an Air Force veteran, and another is an assistant coach for a youth football team in Polk County -- all face child porn charges in the latest operation by the sheriff's office, detectives said.
It was the agency's sixth roundup of child pornography suspects under "Operation Guardians of Innocence." Sheriff Grady Judd said Tuesday the suspects face over 2,300 charges and collectively face $12.5 million in bond.
"Here's our warning: we're not done yet," Judd said. "We're coming after you all. If you didn't go to jail this time, you'll go to jail next time."
In addition to the 13 suspects, the sheriff said detectives arrested Daniel Sweeney, a registered sex offender living in Lakeland.
"Guess what happened yesterday? We received a tip that he was involved in video voyeurism," Judd explained. "What we found was children he had access to in the neighborhood he had videoed them nude. Did you hear me?"
Sweeney was arrested for violating probation, and detectives said he confessed to taking nude photographs of a young girl.
"This Is what happens with these types of people if they're not locked up," the sheriff said. "This is our Christmas present not only to him but it's our Christmas present to the children of the neighborhood."
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Sweeney was found guilty of possessing child porn in 2009.
Sheriff Grady Judd shows booking image for Daniel Sweeney
The operation began in early December. Judd said through tips from the community, detectives were able to establish probable cause and obtained 23 search warrants. Then, they seized all known electronic devices belonging to the 13 suspects.
The youngest person arrested was 20 years old, and the oldest was 47 years of age.
"Some of these wives knew what these husbands were doing. Some of them didn't," Sheriff Judd explained. "Tell us -- or else you can wake up one day and it's your daughter they're taking a picture of or worst, sexually abusing."
"Every time a child porn image is rebroadcast, it's victimization all over again," the sheriff added.
According to the sheriff, the imagery included thousands of photos and videos showing babies, toddlers, and children being forced into sexual acts.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office provided the following information in regards to each suspect:
Shaun David Bonacci, 43, from Davenport
Detectives searched Bonacci’s cell phone and located images of boys between the ages of 10 and 12-years old being sexually battered. Bonacci told detectives he emailed the photos to another unknown individual. He told detectives he is a former Air Force mechanic
Booking image for Shaun David Bonacci
Henry Dunn, 47, from Winter Haven
Detectives searched Dunn’s electronic devices and located images and videos of children between the ages of 5 and 11-years old being sexually battered. Detectives also discovered child pornography images that Dunn had uploaded to Facebook.
Last year, detectives served a search warrant under suspicion that he possess child porn imagery. However, they couldn't get into his phone.
"Just think about this. The sheriff's office shows up a year ago…you'd think you learned a lesson," Judd said, "but understand, these folks are so fixated on the sexual abuse of children they throw caution to the wind."
This time around, the sheriff said they caught him with his phone unlocked.
"Here's what's frightening about this guy. He sent and received texts and his fantasy was...daddy and daughters doing terrible things," Judd explained. "We saw no evidence of that content occurring. We know statistically that the overwhelming majority…either have had sexual contact with children or would if given the opportunity. So, he was one step away."
Booking image for Henry Dunn
Jonathan Godwin, 20, from Winter Haven
Detectives searched Godwin’s electronic devices and located videos of children between the ages of 5 and 11-years old being sexually battered. Godwin told detectives he sometimes shared videos in chat groups on the KIK application.
Booking image for Jonathan Godwin
Silas Toussaint Harris, 27, from Lakeland
Detectives searched Harris’s electronic devices and located hundreds of videos of children being sexually battered, some as young as 12-months old. Harris told detectives has viewed and shared child pornography on Twitter.
"He talks about one day having daughters and then having children with those daughters and that's what he fantasizes about," Judd said. "He has no children but he fantasizes with his other deviant friends about when he has daughters, then he can have children with his daughters."
Harris told detectives he works as a stockman for Walmart and is the assistant coach for the Lakeland Destroyers youth football team.
"When we talked to him about this he said he didn't want to talk about his child porn. He said, 'Because that Grady Judd is ruthless,'" Judd said. "That is the greatest Christmas gift I've received…for the child pornography guys to know I'm ruthless."
Booking image for Silas Harris
Christian Martinez-Rivera, 30, from Haines City
Detectives searched Martinez-Rivera’s cell phone and located images of children between the ages of 3 and 6-years old being sexually battered. He told detectives he is employed as a FedEx driver.
Booking image for Christian Martinez-Rivera
Clifford Wayne Rogers, 40, from Bartow
While executing a search warrant at Rogers’ residence, detectives located a tablet that contained 212 images of children being sexually battered, some as young as 1 to 3-years old. Detectives also located marijuana in Rogers’ vehicle. He told detectives he was employed with Payne Heating and Cooling as a service technician.
Judd said he has hired Payne Heating and Cooling before for its services.
"The thought that I could've had this guy in my house frightens me," the sheriff said, adding that Rogers brought a tablet to work to look at child porn. "But he wouldn't admit that he would look at child porn while at work."
"His bond is a million dollars," Judd added. "He never needs to be in another person's house."
Booking image for Clifford Rogers
Robert Thomas Schank, 47, from Davenport
Detectives searched Schank’s electronic devices and located videos of children as young as 2-years old being sexually battered. Schank told detectives he had shared these videos in chat groups on the KIK application. Schank told detectives he is the manager of a Bed Bath and Beyond store in Kissimmee.
Sheriff Judd said Schank has a wife.
"He said, 'I probably should be remorseful but it's out there and I'm going to look at it,' Judd said Tuesday. "You know what, we're going to put you in jail. Merry Christmas."
Booking image for Robert Schank
Eugene Skaggs, Jr., 28, from Polk City
Detectives searched Skaggs’ residence and seized 2 cell phones, two computers, a tablet, two smartwatches, and storage devices. During an interview, Skaggs told detectives that he started to look at child pornography out of curiosity, and then he started sharing and trading images and videos of children as young as 12-months old being sexually battered. He also told detectives he is employed with Watson Clinic.
The sheriff said when investigators arrived at his home, he thought there were they because of his backyard chickens.
"No, we arent there to enforce the chicken rules," Judd said.
Detectives said Skaggs' interest in child pornography started after he watched Jeffrey Epstein documentary.
Skaggs is also married, the sheriff said.
Booking image for Eugene Skaggs Jr
Michael Tateishi, 47, from Lakeland
Detectives searched Tateshi’s electronic devices and located hundreds of pornographic (or nude) videos and images of children as young as 8-12 months old. Tateshi told detectives he is employed as an UBER driver, and is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant.
Booking image for Michael Tateshi
Joquin Trejo, 44, from Bartow
Detectives searched Trejo’s cell phone and located images and video files of children as young as 3-months old being sexually battered. He told detectives he is currently unemployed.
Judd said Trejo is living in Polk County illegally and is from Mexico. He said a truck had to be sent to his home to transport him to jail.
"He weighs in at a slim 520 pounds," the sheriff described, "but he does fit in the county jail."
Booking image for Joaquin Trejo
Kevin Scott Woods, 39, from Polk City
Detectives searched Woods’ cell phone and located pornographic (or nude) images of children as young as 6-years old. Scott told detectives he receives $1450 a month from Social Security Disability Benefits.
"He sits at home while you work and pay taxes…for him to indulge in child pornography," Judd said.
Detectives said Woods confessed after they found child pornography images.
"But then he threatened to eat people's faces off or stab people in jail. Nice guy, don't you want to room with him?" the sheriff said. "We put the detention staff on notice of his bizarre statements."
Booking image for Kevin Scott Woods
Eddy Zumeta, Jr., 32, from Winter Haven
Detectives searched Zumeta’s electronic devices and located images of children between the ages of 8 and 11-years old being sexually battered. During the investigation, detectives discovered Zumeta also advertised online child pornography from his apartment. Zumeta told detectives he works as a lifeguard at Shades of Green Resort.
Judd said Zumeta was also married.
Booking image for Eddy Zumeta
Shawn Fitzgerald, 46, from Lakeland
Back in November, detectives arrested Fitzgerald a Lakeland High School teacher, and charged him with 408 counts of possessing child pornography. At the time of his arrest, he was the varsity soccer coach for Lakeland High School and a Youth Director at First United Methodist Church in Bartow.
On November 25, 2020, following a forensic search of Fitzgerald’s electronic devices, detectives located another 389 images and videos of children as young as 12 months old being sexually battered. Fitzgerald has been charged with an additional 389 counts of child porn possession.
Booking image for Shawn Fitzgerald