Nassau sheriff: Army captain, law enforcement officer among men arrested for soliciting kids for sex

Nassau County Sheriff’s Office unveiled arrests made in “Operation Keystroke” on Wednesday morning.

Sheriff Bill Leeper said during the four-day operation, these men allegedly targeted who they thought were children on social media and solicited them for sex. They were actually talking to undercover investigators.

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“If you are a parent, this should scare the crap out of you,” Leeper said.

The 11 men arrested were mainly from the Jacksonville area. Some of them were married and had children of their own. Leeper said instead of meeting with children, the men were met with law enforcement.

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“We came into contact with real monsters,” Leeper said.

PHOTOS: Nassau County Sheriff announces arrests of men in soliciting children for sex in ‘Operation Keystroke’

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Nassau County Sheriff's Office announces arrests in Operation Keystroke Sheriff Bill Leeper said during the four-day "Operation Keystroke," these men allegedly targeted who they thought were children on social media and solicited them for sex. They were actually talking to undercover investigators. (Meghan Moriarty/Action News Jax)

Here are details shared by Leeper during Wednesday’s news conference about each of the men arrested:

Richard Capra, 43, Yulee

• Thought he was traveling to have sex with a 14-year-old.
• Said he would pay her $125 and would use a condom to not get her pregnant.
• Career criminal and was released from Florida state prison after burglary and another crime.

Tavarris Andrews, 31, Lehigh Acres, FL

• Captain in the U.S Army, stationed at West Point Military Academy.
• Wanted to have sex with 14-year-old; told her he didn’t like to use condoms.
• Said other “nasty things”; ran from law enforcement.

Justin Campbell, 33, Woodbine, Ga.

• Solicited 14-year-old child
• Said he wanted to have “nasty, nasty sex” and wanted naked pictures of child.
• Said he was willing to pay $50 and brought Skyy vodka to location.

Sprite Poleski, 19, Jacksonville

• Admitted to soliciting minor for sex acts.
• Said if he did meet her in person, he would discourage her from arranging online meetings to have sex.
• Deputies found 120 grams of marijuana inside his car.

Charles McPhail, Jacksonville

• Wanted to have sex with 14-year-old.
• He claimed he really wasn’t going to do anything. He just wanted to talk.

Baraka Johnson, 25, Jacksonville

• Wanted to have sex with 14-year-old, as well as with multiple other people “taking turns on her.”
• Had 17.3 grams of marijuana in his possession.

Khalil Nether, 26, Sumner, Ga.

• Wanted to have sex with 14-year-old.
• Traveled to undercover location to have sex.
• Was ordered to get out when met by law enforcement.
• Drove off, got stuck in a ditch.
• Was worried this would mess up his chances of joining the Army.

Antonio Morales, 30, Jacksonville

• Wanted to have sex with 14-year-old.
• Charged with 6 counts of child porn on his phone.

Carlos James, 34, Jacksonville

• Formerly employed by K9s For Warriors as a dog trainer.
• Thought he was communicating with mom of 13-year-old. When he was told girl was 13 he said he was OK with that.
• K9s for Warriors released the following statement on James’ arrest: “We are aware that former employee Carlos James has been arrested. James was employed by our organization for approximately 5 weeks before being terminated on Sept. 1 for failing to come to work. Before being hired, we conducted a thorough background check on the employee and saw no history of sex-related offenses. K9s For Warriors finds the purported crime reprehensible, disgusting and completely at odds with our values.”

Jeremy Kinsey, 30, Jacksonville

• Communicated online for sex.
• When he found out she was 14, he said he wasn’t interested. Said she had to be old enough to buy cigarettes.
• Then he changed his mind and reconnected online.
• Said he was willing to give her $50 for sex and said he’d wear a condom to not get her pregnant.

Jeffrey Burrell, Fort Myers

• “This is a picture of a dirty old man,” Leeper said of Burrell.
• Wanted to pay 14-year-old girl to perform sex acts on him in car.
• Wanted to know if she was too young for marijuana
• Said he was in Brunswick, Ga., area
• Burrell is a law enforcement officer at Lee County Port Authority Police Department
• He retired after 31 years of service as a law enforcement officer in Quincy, MA

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