Eight men were arrested in Jacksonville.
According to First Coast News, JSO Vice Unit detectives opened the investigation after receiving multiple complaints about illegal sexual activity happening at the park. Detectives then placed an undercover officer at the park to watch for alleged activity on Oct. 1, and all eight arrests followed from that single day of surveillance.
Investigators say the eight men approached the undercover detective and solicited sexual acts, with some of them allegedly exposing themselves while speaking to the detective, per the same report. The men taken into custody were identified as Peter Smith, 63; Cedric Jones, 56; Alejandro Brioso Martinez, 37; Florentino De La Cruz, 47; John Aguirre, 62; Elkin Espitia, 45; Tajmaus Johnson Jr., 28; and George Freeman, 72.
Added Charges for Drugs and Exposure
Beyond the solicitation allegations, a few of the men picked up extra charges. Florentino De La Cruz was additionally charged with exposing sexual organs in public, the outlet reports. Alejandro Brioso Martinez was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance and using drug paraphernalia, while John Aguirre was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance.
The sheriff's office framed the arrests as a matter of protecting public space, saying Jacksonville parks are meant for residents to enjoy the outdoors, not for illegal or indecent acts, and that sexual activity in parks turns them into unsafe spaces for children and families. JSO said it would do whatever it could to protect the city's parks.
Part of a Broader Pattern of Stings
This isn't the first time JSO's Vice Unit has run an undercover operation targeting solicitation in the Jacksonville area. Back in May, a three-day operation dubbed Operation Sand Trap, run with Jacksonville Beach Police, led to 25 arrests, according to News4JAX. That operation focused on people using online platforms to solicit or offer sex acts for money, with undercover officers setting up in beach-area hotels and communicating with suspects online before making arrests.
A separate Vice Unit sting, called Operation Naughty List by investigators, ran for four days and resulted in 25 arrests after undercover officers encountered more than 40 individuals, ultimately arresting more than 20 who followed through with illegal solicitation, according to Action News Jax. JSO told the outlet these operations will continue.
No court records, booking documents, or attorney statements for the eight men arrested at Beach and Peach Urban Park were available at the time of this report.
