Operation Cooked Led to Arrests of Many Men in Central Florida

Operation Cooked led to the arrests of many men in Central Florida.




Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrest of the 21 men as part of an undercover sting led by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with other partner law enforcement agencies.

“These 20 individuals believed a screen granted them anonymity to target children,” Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon stated. “Instead, it led them straight to a jail cell. Our jurisdiction will remain a hostile environment for anyone seeking to harm a child.”

For more than a week last month, undercover detectives posted online as 13- and 14-year-old children, and in a four cases as parents offering up children as young as seven. The men knew the ages, made plans to meet, and were arrested when they arrived in Kissimmee.

“In Florida, there will be no mercy for the merciless,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Twenty-one more predators went looking for a child and found handcuffs. If anyone tries to prey on kids in this state, we will find you, arrest you, and put you behind bars.”

The Florida Attorney General provided this information: Defendants range in age from 22 to 64. Four came from out of state. Two left their children at a vacation rental to meet with the children. Four are foreign nationals, from Venezuela, Honduras, Mexico, and Ecuador. The Venezuelan national was already under a removal order. Twenty were arrested for traveling to meet a minor for sex, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. One defendant, Charles Victor Morgan, was initially involved in a similar operation in March 2026 and continued communications with the undercover detectives through September and was arrested for Soliciation of a Minor.

The Office of Statewide Prosecution charged the following defendants by Information:

• Abraham Jacob Zamora, 30, of Kissimmee: Unlawful Travel to Meet a Minor (Parent) for Unlawful Sexual Conduct
• Leslie Augustus Anderson, 34, of Winter Haven: Traveling to Meet a Minor for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, and Attempted Lewd or Lascivious Battery of a Child Under 16
• Jaquaun Akeem Rhodan, 35, of Travelers Rest, South Carolina: Traveling to Meet a Minor for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, and Attempted Lewd or Lascivious Battery of a Child Under 16
• Thomas George Walsh, 41, of Grand Junction, Colorado: Traveling to Meet a Minor for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, Attempted Lewd and Lascivious Battery of a Child Under 16, Solicitation of a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device
• Walter Heger, 64, of Germantown, Tennessee: Traveling to Meet a Minor for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, Solicitation of a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device
• Charles Victor Morgan, 36, of Christmas: Solicitation of a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device

The following defendants were arrested and have charges pending, or were referred to the Office of the State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit for prosecution:

• Luis Angel Lopez-Cruz, 33, of Kissimmee, Osceola County
• Aquacious Keith Williams, 34, of Kissimmee, Osceola County
• Christian Noguera-Quintero, 27, of Venezuela
• Martin Alejandro Rojas-Castillo, 22, of Ecuador
• Bryson Eric Herzberger, 23, of St. Johns, St. Johns County
• Eric Daniel Kreft, 50, of Davenport, Polk County
• Carlos Omar Valdes-Rosales, 40, of Honduras
• Danny Joseph Rios-Gonzalez, 28, of Orlando, Orange County
• Andrew Wiliam Chandler, 42, of Kissimmee, Osceola County
• Johnny Arturo Sanabria-Lopez, 33, of Kissimmee, Osceola County
• Juan Sebastian Beltran-Robayo, 27, of Orlando, Orange County
• Isaiah Manuel Padovani, 25, of Kissimmee, Osceola County
• Jonathan Leonardi Leyva-Pascual, 25, of Mexico
• Franklin Safo-Agyare, 34, of Palm Bay, Brevard County
• Joshua Allen Edwards, 46, of DeBary, Volusia County

The defendants will be prosecuted in the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida. The undercover sting was led by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with the Central Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, HSI, and other partner law enfocement agencies.

“These arrests send a clear message: If you prey on our children and our communities, we will find you, and you will be held accountable,” Lt. Governor Jay Collins said. “I’m grateful to Sheriff Blackmon and the men and women of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office for their work on Operation Cooked, and to every law enforcement partner who helped take 20 dangerous predators off the streets.”

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