Homestead police say a planned meetup for sex with a teenager ended in handcuffs Wednesday, when the supposed 15-year-old boy turned out to be an undercover officer. Officers arrested 23-year-old Wesley Javier Benitez at the agreed location, and he now faces multiple felony charges tied to online solicitation and child sexual performance offenses, according to police.
How Police Say The Sting Unfolded
Investigators say Benitez used undisclosed online platforms to message someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy, asked for nude photos, and sent an explicit image of his own genitals, according to his arrest form. Police say the paperwork notes that Benitez claimed he was 20, shared his home address with the account, and eventually agreed to meet "halfway" at a location where officers were waiting. Those details appear in the arrest report, as reported by Local 10.
Arrest And Booking Details
The arrest form states that Benitez admitted to texting with the person he believed was a teenage boy and to agreeing to meet for sexual activity, according to Local 10. Officers say he was taken into custody without incident when he arrived at the meetup spot. As of Wednesday morning, Benitez was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, with his bond listed as "to be set."
Charges And State Law
According to authorities, Benitez is charged with several felonies, including use of a computer to seduce, solicit, or lure a child, and promotion of a sexual performance by a child. Under Florida law, promoting a sexual performance by a child is classified as a second-degree felony, and computer-facilitated solicitation can be charged as a third-degree felony, with higher penalties possible when a suspect travels to meet a minor or lies about their age. See Florida Statutes §827.071 and Florida Statutes §847.0135 for the statute text and classifications.
Undercover Stings And Enforcement
Cases like this are a familiar playbook for Internet Crimes Against Children, or ICAC, operations, which often hinge on chat logs and a suspect showing up for a planned meetup. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention describes ICAC task forces as a nationwide network that gives local departments training, technical support, and digital forensics tools to investigate technology-facilitated child exploitation. For more on the program, see OJJDP.
What’s Next
Benitez’s case remains pending in Miami-Dade, where prosecutors are expected to file formal charges and set a court date as the investigation moves forward. Homestead police are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the department.
