5 arrested in undercover sting for child sex crimes in Jacksonville, including DCPS employee

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Five people have been arrested for sex crimes against children, including a Duval County Public Schools employee after an undercover operation from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Kevin Pearce, Norman Kimmerly, Thomas Gainey, Michael Hill, and Glenroy Hazel are all facing child solicitation charges and charges of “traveling to meet after using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child,” among other charges.

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Action News Jax told you Monday when Duval County Public Schools announced the arrest of Pearce, who was a carpenter who fulfilled work orders at schools throughout the district.

In all five cases, the suspects joined a group chat with an undercover JSO agent in it, with the purpose of messaging who they believed to be an underage girl to meet for sex.

“It’s effective because it doesn’t require any real activity by the perpetrator other than texting, which memorializes the evidence,” Action News Jax Law & Safety Expert Dale Carson said.

READ: Massive drug bust results from anonymous citizen tip in Jacksonville’s Westside

Carson is also a former FBI agent with decades of law enforcement experience, who added that undercover investigations like these are often valuable and legal ways to prevent future harm to children in communities, using an undercover agent as an imaginary victim to prevent future crimes.

“The use of an undercover detective is appropriate because it results in protecting children,” Carson added.

While Carson did say undercover operations like these sometimes get labeled as entrapment by defense attorneys, he added that the courts, more often than not, will find them as a legal way to keep the community safe.

PHOTOS: 5 arrested in undercover sting for child sex crimes in Jacksonville, including DCPS employee

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Glenroy Hazel Glenroy Hazel, 30: Travel to meet after using a computer to solicit child, solicitation of a child via computer to engage in sexual conduct, unlawful use of two-way communication device (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)

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