In a sweeping effort to protect children from sexual predators, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday the results of two major operations that led to dozens of arrests and compliance checks across the county.
Sheriff Robert Hardwick said Operation Safe Passage and Operation Unified Watch underscore the county’s “zero tolerance” approach toward those who prey on children or flout sex offender laws.
The first initiative, Operation Safe Passage, was a four-day undercover sting targeting individuals who used the internet to lure minors for sex. The sheriff said 17 people were arrested, and investigators continue to pursue new cases.
Hardwick praised his Internet Crimes Against Children unit for its “innovative and relentless” work and warned predators that his office will “find you and hold you accountable.”
The second effort, Operation Unified Watch, brought together the Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Department of Corrections, and local police to verify the status of all 249 registered sex offenders and predators in St. Johns County.
Over four days, teams knocked on doors and confronted offenders face to face, confirming the whereabouts of 207 and arresting 19 for serious registration violations. Another 36 arrest warrants were issued, including one for an offender who fled to Mississippi and was later taken into custody there.
Those arrested include a since terminated probationary dispatcher for the Duval County Sheriff’s Office, a naval officer and a local college student.
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass called the Northeast Florida partnership “the best in the state,” praising the unified approach among sheriffs, police chiefs, prosecutors, and corrections officials.
“Anybody who targets children or helps hide an offender—let’s call it what it is—it’s evil,” Glass said, urging parents to check the state’s sex offender database before Halloween.
Melissa Bujeda, FDLE’s director of missing, endangered and offender investigations, said the hands-on enforcement sends a clear message: “We will not tolerate noncompliance.”
She emphasized that accurate offender data is vital when children go missing, because investigators immediately turn to those on the registry.
Chief Assistant State Attorney John Reid said his office will aggressively prosecute every case and noted that a prosecutor has now been embedded full-time with the Sheriff’s Office to handle cyber sex crimes.
Hardwick credited the county commission for funding the specialized units and technology that make such operations possible. “There’s nothing more important than spending money to protect our children,” he said. “That’s the number one priority—and we’re not stopping here.”
Several local officials were on hand during Monday’s press conference to signal their support, including St. Johns County commissioners Christian Whitehurst, Ann Taylor and Clay Murphy.
Duval County Sheriff T.K. Waters and St. Johns County administrator Joy Andrews were also present during the announcement.
