6 suspected sexual predators rounded up in Treasure Coast sting operation, another dozen wanted

Six suspected child predators were arrested as part of a multi-agency sting investigation originating in Martin County, while officials are seeking another dozen suspects.

Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek anchored a news conference Thursday afternoon at his office, where he detailed an operation launched in the middle of October that lasted three days as his undercover detectives posed as minors on the internet on social media sites. While Martin County officials were the center of the operation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, the U.S. Departments of State, Homeland Security, and other agencies were involved.

Budensiek said between Oct. 15 and 17, the investigation started as his agents posed as 14-year-old boys and 14-year-old girls online.

“During the operation, 18 individuals took the bait,” Budensiek said.

Of the six already arrested, Budensiek said two were foreign nationals from Guatemala who were in the U.S. illegally, and one was from Egypt who was in the country on a student work visa and was also teaching at a medical college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Warrants are being issued for the arrest of the other dozen suspects, most of whom are from Florida, though one lives in Texas and another lives in Connecticut.

“I think all these cases highlight that there are individuals from all over the world who are willing to travel to Martin County and take advantage of our youth,” Budensiek said.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his Office of Statewide Prosecution will aggressively pursue the cases.

“It’s sad and scary, but these guys are out there,” Uthmeier said. “These individuals thought they could hide behind a screen and get away with it. They were wrong.”

Uthmeier added that the involvement of migrants who are illegally in the U.S. is an alarming facet of the cases on the Treasure Coast.

“I have to point out every time we do one of these announcements, we’re looking at a disproportionate high number of people who are illegal immigrants,” Uthmeier said. “Our prosecutors in the state are going to deliver the hammer and make sure they are doing the time. We will seek the death penalty where appropriate.”