3 arrested in online child sex sting in Seminole County

Suspects taken to jail

SANFORD, Fla. – Investigators arrested three men who they say traveled to and within Seminole County to engage in sex with people they believed to be children.

Deputies said Christopher Deberry, 32, of Sanford; Trae' Anthony Peter, 21, of Winter Park; and John Ziolkowski, 23, of Oviedo, all traveled to meet someone who they thought was 13 years old for sex.

[MORE: Erik Sandoval gives live updates from the field ]

During the three-day operation that concluded Monday, undercover law enforcement officers chatted online, emailed, and spoke on the phone with the trio, who believed they were talking to a child.

Deberry is being held at the John E. Polk Corrections Center on $70,500 bond, while Peter and Ziolowski are being held on $70,000 each.

Investigators recommend the following safety tips for parents:

  • Communicate with your child.  Talk with them about the potential dangers online and the reasons why they should be careful.
  • Spend time with your child online and learn their favorite online destinations.
  • Keep the computer in an area of the house where online activity can be monitored, not in your child's bedroom.
  • Use parental controls and/or blocking software.
  • Instruct children not to give out personal information such as their home address, school name or telephone number, and never to arrange a meeting with someone they met online without your permission.

Additional safety information can be found in the FBI's "Parent's Guide to Internet Safety."


About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

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