Jason Futch r
eporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
On Friday, Dec. 13, the Lake City Police Department (LCPD) announced the arrest of a Live Oak man who has been charged with allegedly attempting to meet a minor for sex. The investigation is the result of a weeks-long investigation that was conducted not only by the LCPD, but also the Alachua, Columbia, Hamilton and Suwannee County Sheriff’s Offices, the Jasper Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). According to the LCPD press release and an arrest report provided by the Columbia County Clerk of Court, Herminio Monte Perez, a 27-year-old resident of Live Oak, was arrested after traveling to Lake City to allegedly meet with a boy he believed to be 14-years-old. Perez had contacted the juvenile through the social media platform “Sniffies,” which is commonly used by gay men for soliciting sex. Perez contacted the minor, knowing how old he was, and began sending obscene photos. However, the minor was actually LCPD Detective Richard Poteat. Eventually, the conversation moved to text message after Perez sent the minor his phone number. From there, Perez allegedly sent more obscene photos, as well as videos, of himself engaging in a sexual act with himself. Soon after, Perez began to arrange a meeting with the minor with the intent of having a sexual encounter. On Saturday, Dec. 7, Perez drove to Lake City to meet with the minor. While getting fuel, Detective Poteat, posing as the minor, requested Perez to bring a Coke. A short time later, Perez arrived at Alligator Park, driving a grey SUV. Upon officers placing Perez in handcuffs, an unopened bottle of Coke was observed sitting in the center cup holder of his vehicle. Perez was taken to LCPD, where Detective Poteat interrogated him. Perez confirmed that the person speaking with the alleged minor on Sniffies was him, and that he was also talking to other minors on Snapchat. Perez allowed Detective Poteat to observe his Snapchat and observed several usernames that identified minors via their age. Perez said he brought the Coke because he was asked to. Perez was booked at the Columbia County Jail and is being charged with one count of obscene communication with a minor, one count of traveling to meet after using a computer to lure minor, one count of using a two-way communication device to commit a felony and an updated charge of three counts of cruelty towards a child through electronic transmission. He is being held on a $350,000 bond. Additionally, Khloe Cathryn Davis, a 23-year-old Alachua County resident, was also charged with solicitation of a minor, using a two-way communication device and transmitting harmful information to a minor after he attempted to meet a male minor for a sexual encounter. He was booked into the Alachua County Jail in Gainesville. Additional arrests are expected to happen according to the press release. An arrest warrant has been issued to 23-year-old Patrick Warren Taylor of Jacksonville. He is being charged with nine counts of transmitting harmful materials to a minor, two counts of using a two-way communication device to commit a felony, and two counts of using a computer to seduce, solicit or lure a child. At press time, Taylor has not been apprehended, and further details on Davis’s arrest were not available. “I would like to thank the Alachua, Columbia, Hamilton and Suwannee County Sheriff’s Offices, Jasper Police Department, FDLE and the ICAC Task Force for their assistance in this operation,” LCPD Chief Gerald Butler said. “I would like to remind parents to be involved in their children’s online activities. We ask parents to follow the tips offered by law enforcement to keep their children safe from adults who use the internet to harm children.” LCPD urges parents to monitor their children’s internet usage and ensure their safety as they use it. The agency also asks parents to place parental blocks on their children’s devices so as to make sure that the content their children have access to is appropriate.