A Raceland human-resources official is behind bars after Florida investigators say an undercover operation exposed explicit online communications with someone he believed was a child. Authorities disclosed the arrest last week and say the case is still unfolding as they comb through digital evidence.
Undercover chat operation led investigators to Filce
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says the investigation kicked off in early April as part of a statewide push to identify adults who target children on the internet. As part of an undercover chat operation, agents say 62-year-old Eddie Filce sent sexually explicit messages, photos and videos to an agent posing as a juvenile. Investigators later identified Filce as a human-resources employee with the State Board of Regents, and he now faces multiple felony counts, according to FDLE.
Arrest, booking and extradition
On May 5, Louisiana State Police, working in coordination with Florida agents, tracked down Filce in Louisiana and took him into custody. He was booked into the Terrebonne Parish Jail, where records show he is being held on an $85,000 bond while he awaits extradition to Florida to face the charges, as reported by Tampa Free Press. Authorities say Filce lists Raceland as his residence and is employed by the Board of Regents for Higher Education.
State prosecutors to handle the case
According to FDLE, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has been assigned to handle the case. The agency says the investigation remains active and that additional charges could be filed as agents continue to review the evidence.
Part of a broader effort to catch predators
Filce’s arrest is one in a series of operations that Florida authorities have used to intercept adults who allegedly target minors online, highlighting how state investigators can reach across borders when a case demands it. As Tampa Free Press notes, investigators say the probe began in early April and remains active as officials continue to sort through the material collected during the undercover chats.
