ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A St. Johns County daycare worker was arrested after the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said he traveled to meet a minor for sex.
They say 20-year-old Connor Andrew Gooding traveled from St. Johns County to Columbia County to meet with someone he thought was a child after sending sexually explicit images and texts to an undercover detective.
The sheriff’s office also says Gooding asked the decoy child specific questions about their parents’ schedule to learn about when and where they could meet.
During the investigation, detectives say Gooding revealed he was a daycare worker who had access to “other children.”
His LinkedIn profile states that he is a youth fitness coach at KidStrong in St. Johns County — a kids’ development center where coaches work directly with kids as young as crawling age, all the way up to 11 years old.
Action News Jax visited the location to confirm his employment and was met with “no comment.”
We’re still waiting on a response back from KidStrong headquarters.
“I definitely think that he shouldn’t have had that access,” says Andrew Aggrey, a local parent. “I think maybe more of a thorough process we still put in before they’re allowing people around kids, because if it was my child, I wouldn’t want my child just to be around anybody, you know.I think it should raise an awareness and a seriousness in parents.”
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office says Gooding was immediately taken into custody, where he was found to be in possession of condoms. They also say Gooding confessed to the criminal acts he committed.
As the digital investigation continued, Gooding was also found to be in possession of over 25 images of bestiality and child pornography.
As of right now, Gooding is being charged with the following Florida State Statutes:
• FSS 847.0135.3a - Use computer to lure, seduce solicit child
• FSS 934.215 - Use 2-way communication device to facilitate a felony
• FSS 847.0133.1 - Distribute, transmit show obscene material to a minor (x3)
• FSS 847.0135.4a - Travel to meet a minor for sex
• FSS 794.011.5a - Attempted sexual battery
• FSS 828.126.2e - Film, possess image video animal sex activity (x25)
• FSS 322.212.1a - Possess fictitious identification
• FSS 918.12.1a - Tamper with evidence in a criminal proceeding
Gooding was released on a $430,000 bond on June 30, the day after his arrest. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office expects more criminal charges to follow.
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