Man solicits sex from 13-year-old girl, gets Orlando officer, police say

OPD cyber unit thwarts 'dangerous crimes against children'

ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando detective posing as the parent of a 13-year-old girl on the internet was able to thwart a sexual predator Tuesday from making a real encounter with an underage girl, Orlando police said.

A cybercrime task force member created a profile last week on an e-commerce website acting as a parent of a 13-year-old girl. Raul Medina, 42, of Oviedo, responded to the profile. Medina exchanged phone calls, text messages and messages online with the girl he believed was 13 years old, according to the arrest report.

“I infiltrated some online websites seeking those who want to have sex with children,” the undercover detective told News 6. “He finds me on the computer and reaches out to me and that's how the communications began.”

Medina sent several pictures of his penis to the child and told her that he wanted the child to move in with him, police said.

During one of their conversations Medina said "My job has kids all over lol," and sent a picture of his workplace to the girl, according to the report. Medina texted the child decoy that he walks around "hard" all day thinking of her, detectives said.

“I guess he thought that was cute and funny and then actually sent a picture of kids at his workplace,” the undercover detective said. 

Orlando police told News 6 Medina works at Martial Arts on East Colonial. Detectives were told by his employer that he does not work directly with children.

"He stated he wanted to be with her and he wanted the child to worship him," detectives wrote in the report of the communications. "The defendant texted the decoy child regularly and was very demanding when she would not respond quickly. Several times he accused her of texting another male."

Medina asked the girl to meet every day they communicated. When a meetup was finally set up in Orlando, he was immediately arrested by Special Victim's Unit detectives. The suspect also brought marijuana to meet the girl, according to the report.

The department tweeted a video Wednesday of SVU detectives leading Medina in handcuffs into OPD headquarters for questioning.

“This man thought he was meeting a 13-year-old for sex. Instead, he met OPD TAC,” OPD tweeted with the video. “Our SVU detectives catch these guys before they can get to kids.”

Medina is charged with attempted lewd conduct, solicitation of a minor, obscene communication, marijuana possession and unlawful use of a communication device. 

During his first appearance Wednesday, an Orange County judge granted Medina $8,200 bond on the condition he not have contact with anyone under 18 years old and can't have possession of electronics or access the internet.

"Our detectives do this kind of work all the time, and as a result, they thwart very dangerous and damaging crimes against children," an Orlando police spokesperson said in an email to News 6.

The undercover detective had a message for anyone who might try something like the alleged actions of Medina.

“We are coming for you. I'm coming for you. I know my agency is coming for you,” she said. “I'm pretty good at what I do, so beware.”


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