POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Six men — including an Apopka daycare employee — were arrested in a child predator sting out of Polk County, according to that county’s sheriff’s office.
In a release on Tuesday, deputies said the week-long undercover operation involved detectives posing as either children or parents on social media to “investigate those who prey upon and travel to meet children for unlawful sexual activity.”
At separate times throughout the investigation, all six men showed up to the undercover location in Polk County “to sexually batter children,” the release states.
Those arrested in the sting are as follows:
Jairo Muniz, 40 — Kissimmee
Deputies said that Muniz had been using social media to contact an undercover detective who posed as a 13-year-old girl.
During those conversations, Muniz — who is married with four daughters — discussed how he wanted to have sex with the supposed girl, buying condoms on his way to the undercover locations, the release shows.
He faces charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, attempted lewd battery, transmission of harmful material to a minor, and using a two-way device to commit a felony. Muniz was released from jail on Sept. 24 after posting bond.
Timothy Wellman, 36 — Ohio
Wellman spoke online with a detective who posed as a 14-year-old girl, telling her she was “cute” and describing how he wanted to have sex with her, deputies said.
According to investigators, Wellman was divorced, and his two young children lived with his ex-wife. Wellman told detectives that he was telling his children goodnight while driving to the undercover location.
Wellman faces charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, attempted lewd battery and using a two-way device to commit a felony.
Feras Klisli, 49 — Davenport
Klisli had discussed his desire to have sex with an undercover detective online who had posed as a 14-year-old girl, deputies said.
Detectives explained that Klisli was married with two adult children, and he worked as an Uber driver.
He faces charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, attempted lewd battery and using a two-way device to commit a felony. Klisli was released from jail on Sept. 24 after posting bond.
Douglas Da Silva, 46 — Windermere
According to detectives, Da Silva used social media to contact an undercover agent who posed as an adult with “access to a 15-year-old female child.”
Da Silva asked whether the girl was a virgin, agreeing to pay $250 to have sex with her, deputies said.
Deputies added that Da Silva was married, and he worked as an Uber Eats driver while owning a house-cleaning business with his wife. Da Silva had only been in the country for four years and was still awaiting confirmation of his green card at the time of his arrest, the release shows.
He faces charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, attempted lewd battery, using a two-way device to commit a felony and human trafficking.
Trevor Walker, 33 — Orlando
Similarly to Da Silva, Walker used social media to contact an undercover agent who posed as an adult with “access to a 15-year-old female child,” according to detectives.
The sheriff’s office announced that Walker had agreed to pay $400 to have sex with the child, mentioning the idea of it being a “sting” with “Grady Judd” during his conversations. Walker also told detectives that he worked at Publix distribution, the release says.
Walker faces charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, attempted lewd battery, using a two-way device to commit a felony and human trafficking.
Douglas Cooley, 26 — Apopka
Cooley contacted an undercover agent who posed as an adult with “access to a 15-year-old female child,” detectives said.
According to the sheriff’s office, Cooley agreed to pay $100 to have sex with the child. Deputies added that Cooley worked at an after-school daycare in Apopka.
Cooley faces charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, attempted lewd battery, using a two-way device to commit a felony and human trafficking.
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