GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A 34-year-old Camden County man is behind bars in Alachua County for soliciting sexual acts with an 11-year-old Gainesville girl.
When Douglas Castleberry arrived at a gas station in Alachua County on Tuesday, he was met by deputies instead.
"He had in his posession a gaming device capable of storing images and video, and over 357 images of children -- some depicted in sexual poses," said Art Forgey, Public Information Officer for the Alachua County Sheriff's Department.
According to his arrest report, over the past few weeks, Castleberry made contact with deputies posing as the girl through an online chat room. He believed the girl's parents were aware of his intentions, and consented to his offer to teach the girl "as much about sex as she wants to learn" and to make her his girlfriend. "Even if I couldn't publicly announce it. It would make me happy."
Castleberry also described graphic acts he desired to perform with the girl. Police say he believed he was meeting the girl at the gas station to then go to her home.
"There really is no end to what predators will do to get to children," said Lt. Bella Blizzard, of the Alachua Child Sexual Predator Task Force.
She says task forces in counties across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia are joining forces to identify a growing number of predators that have no bounds. In this case, the law enforcement divisions involved were the Kings Bay Police Department, St. Mary's Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Internet Crimes Against Children and more.
"Tomorrow there could be a child in Duval, in Clay county, or any other counties that are near you. Predators that meet children online will do what they have to do. They will travel where they have to travel to victimize a child that they want to victimize."
As technology improves, Blizzard says victims are becoming even more vulnerable to suspected predators like Castleberry.
"Everything revolves around technological devices -- the computer, your smartphone -- and as a result we are opening ourselves up to crime against our kids. Parents need to be aware of the risk, and teach their children how to protect themselves."
Douglas Castleberry is behind bars in the Alachua County jail on a $90,000 bond. He faces multiple second and third felonies, and because he crossed into another state with a large amount of child pornography, he could face additional federal charges.
