Manatee County sex sting: "Operation Safe Childhood" leads to 27 arrests

Manatee County sex sting: “Operation Safe Childhood” leads to 27 arrests

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells announced Wednesday that 27 people were arrested following a summer-long, multi-agency crackdown on internet sex crimes in the county.

admin September 2, 2026 2 minutes read

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Courtesy: Manatee County Sheriff’s Office

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. – Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells announced Wednesday that 27 people were arrested following a summer-long, multi-agency crackdown on internet sex crimes in the county.

Manatee sheriff sex crimes operation

What we know:

Sheriff Rick Wells provided details during a Wednesday news conference regarding “Operation Safe Childhood.”

Detectives assigned to the Child Protection Investigation Division worked alongside state and federal partners throughout the summer to target individuals involved in online sexual offenses.

Deputies said the initiative combined two separate operations.

Investigators launched “Operation Match Maker” in March after partnering with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to catch registered offenders hiding online activity.

Detectives say they screened 105 probationers and reviewed 40 online accounts, uncovering violations among 15 sex offenders and predators. MCSO said a separate review of 82 sexual predators uncovered one more offender breaking registration laws.

By the numbers:

The sheriff’s office said community members also helped operation efforts through anonymous tips. Deputies said reports sent through Crime Stoppers helped detectives uncover unreported social media profiles, email addresses, temporary homes and employment details.

The combined total of both enforcement efforts yielded: