SHALIMAR, FL – The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has again arrested a man who used the internet to try to meet young children online for sex. This is the second time the suspect was arrested since December for similar crimes.
According to the OCSO, a Shalimar man arrested December 17th during a sting operation targeting adults who use the internet to arrange sex with minors is now charged with possession of child pornography.
During his initial arrest, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office investigators seized 22-year old Gabriel Petty’s phone. Petty had admitted using it to chat about potential sexual encounters with a person he thought was a 14-year old girl he had met on-line.
The phone was entered into evidence and a search warrant was executed on January 26th.
Investigators found six images of child pornography on the device, leading to six counts of possession of child pornography.
Petty’s charges from the original OCSO sting operation in December 2020 were the use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor for sex, and use of a two-way communication to commit a felony.