A 34-year-old St. Cloud man was arrested Thursday at Centennial Park after investigators said he arrived expecting to meet someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl for sex. The monthlong online exchange was part of an Internet Crimes Against Children investigation, police said.
According to WFTV, Hayden Joe Anthis responded in June to an online profile operated by an undercover detective. Investigators said the profile used photos of an adult who appeared to be between 13 and 14, and that Anthis was repeatedly told the person was 14.
The conversations continued for about a month, with police saying Anthis used the name James and asked about school, relationships and physical appearance. The arrest affidavit says he repeatedly discussed meeting for sexual activity before agreeing to meet near a movie theater parking lot at the park.
What Police Say He Faces
Officers arrested Anthis when he arrived, according to the affidavit, and found a three-pack of condoms, an iPhone and a package of Skittles in his possession. Investigators said he later admitted during a recorded interview that he went to the park intending to meet a 14-year-old and have sex with her.
Florida law makes traveling to meet a child, or someone believed to be a child, after using an online service to lure or entice that person a second-degree felony, according to the Florida Legislature. The state also classifies using a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony as a third-degree felony under a separate statute.
Anthis was booked into the Osceola County Jail on charges of traveling to meet a minor after using a computer to lure a child and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. WFTV reported that police seized his cellphone and planned a forensic examination; additional court details were not immediately available.
