Craigslist child sex sting nets 15 arrests

Among the 15 men arrested were a karate teacher and a little league coach who coached the son of one of the arresting officers.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office concluded the four-day sex sting early Monday. Once the men showed up at the undisclosed home, they were arrested.

During a Monday afternoon press conference, Polk County sheriff Grady Judd said 12 of the 15 came from Craigslist and the others from chat rooms. Their ages ranged from 18 to 67.

Judd quoted the 67-year-old man as saying, "This is what I've waited a lifetime for. The opportunity to have sex with a 14-year-old girl and her mother."

Judd said one man wanted a 13-year-old girl to do gymnastics while nude and that he brought the girl candy.

(...) Most of the men engaged in emails, chat, and telephone calls with undercover detectives after initially answering ads on Craigslist posted by undercover detectives posing as parents "seeking guidance" for their children. Agents posed as parents offering sex with their children, ages 8 to 14.

The men came from Brandon, Dunedin, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Lake Mary, Lake Placid, Maitland, New Port Richey, Orange City, Orlando, Plant City, Sarasota, St. Cloud and Tampa.

Judd said some sent obscene photos of themselves in the nude.