Volusia County, Fla. — The Volusia County Sheriff's office is warning parents to be even more vigilant after a recent child sex sting.
The Sheriff's office announced on Monday, that seven men ranging in age from 22 to 49 were arrested and charged as part of an undercover sting called 'Operation Unlawful Attraction'.
Investigators said the men were chatting online with detectives who they thought were children. They chatted with more than 50 people, seven of whom met with them at gas stations in Daytona Beach and Deltona.
Deputies said the youngest of the group, Jonathan Hayes, 22, of Eustis, previously worked at a youth camp. According to officials, Hayes told a detective who he thought was a 14-year-old girl about a previous sexual encounter he had with a 16-year-old girl.
The suspects each face the following charges: use of a computer to seduce, solicit or lure a child; travel to seduce seduce, solicit or lure a child; attempted lewd or lascivious battery; and use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
7 men arrested in VCSO's latest Internet predator sting operation: https://t.co/2IQwYm2Igi pic.twitter.com/9epJC1kYvL
— Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) October 15, 2018