Florida daycare worker, Uber driver among 6 men arrested for seeking sex with underage girls, deputies say

POLK COUNTY, Fla. - Six men, including a daycare worker, Uber driver and Army veteran, were arrested after allegedly showing up to an undercover location to sexually batter children after communicating with detectives who were undercover as children and guardians, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. 

The week-long multi-agency undercover operation – including detectives from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Lakeland Police Department, Haines City Police Department, Tampa Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Lake County Sheriff's Office and Orange County Sheriff's Office – revealed that six men communicated and solicited who they thought were children or guardians on social media, mobile apps and online dating platforms, according to a press release. Three of the men allegedly offered to pay hundreds of dollars to have sex with who they thought was a child. 

"These are people that thought they were going to come have sex with children. They came to a strange, undercover location thinking that they were going to encounter a 13- or a 14- or a 15-year-old child," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news conference. "They're dangerous. If it weren't for the outstanding work of the men and women of law enforcement, they absolutely would have attacked children had it not been an undercover operation."

Of the six men from Central Florida, three of them said they are married, three have children and three reportedly brought condoms to the undercover meeting location, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. 

Here's a look at the 22 felony charges filed, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office:

Former daycare worker offers $150 to have unprotected sex with 15-year-old girl, deputies say

Douglas Cooley allegedly chatted with an undercover detective who was posing as an adult with access to a 15-year-old girl on social media and via cell phone, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. 

The 26-year-old man offered to pay $100 for protected sex with the child for 30 minutes and an additional $50 for unprotected sex, deputies said. 

Cooley was booked into the Polk County Jail on the following charges:

• Human trafficking
• Traveling to meet a minor for sex
• Use of computer to solicit guardian of child for sex
• Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony

Cooley is a former employee of an after-school daycare in Apopka, deputies said. Discovery After School issued the following statement regarding Cooley's arrest:

"Upon learning of Mr. Cooley's arrest, we immediately terminated his employment and have been fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities in their ongoing investigation. Our primary concern is to determine whether there were any inappropriate interactions between Mr. Cooley and any student under our care," a spokesperson for the program said in a statement to FOX 35 News. "We want to assure parents, guardians, and the entire Discover After School community that we take these allegations seriously and are doing everything within our power to address them swiftly and transparently. The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority, and we will continue to work diligently to ensure a safe and nurturing environment for all."

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Man told his boss he was ‘going to be late to work the day he traveled to meet the child for sex,’ deputies say

Jairo Muniz is accused of chatting online with an undercover detective who was posing as a 13-year-old girl, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Muniz allegedly asked the "girl" several questions about her sexual experience and described sexual acts he wanted to do to her. The 40-year-old man from Kissimmee allegedly also bought condoms on the way to the undercover location before sending a nude photo of himself to her. 

Muniz, a laborer at a scaffolding company, reportedly told his boss he was "going to be late to work the day he traveled to meet the child for sex," the press release said. Muniz told deputies he is married with four daughters between ages 9 and 16. 

He was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with:

• Traveling to meet a minor for sex
• Attempted lewd battery
• Transmission of material harmful to minor
• Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony

36-year-old Army veteran told 14-year-old girl she was ‘cute’ before describing sexual acts to her, deputies say

Timothy Wellman allegedly spoke to an undercover detective posing as a 14-year-old girl on social media and via cell phone, according to deputies. The 36-year-old man, who is from Ohio but recently moved to Polk County, allegedly told the "girl" she was "cute" and described the sexual acts he wanted to do to her. 

The Army veteran, who is using his G.I. Bill for college, was reportedly speaking to his children on the phone and telling them goodnight on his way to the undercover location to meet the "girl," deputies said. 

Wellman was booked into the Polk County Jail on the following charges:

• Traveling to meet a minor for sex
• Attempted lewd battery
• Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony

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Uber driver asked 14-year-old girl if she was a virgin, deputies say

Feras Klisli is accused of chatting with an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl on social media and on the phone, deputies said. The 49-year-old man from Davenport allegedly asked the "girl" if she was a virgin and described the sexual acts he wanted to do to her. The Uber driver is married with two adult children. 

Klisli was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with: 

• Traveling to meet a minor for sex
• Attempted lewd battery
• Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony

Klisli was released on Sept. 24 after posting bond. 

46-year-old offers to pay $250 to have unprotected sex with 15-year-old girl, deputies say

Douglas Da Silva is accused of speaking to an undercover detective who was posing as an adult who had access to a 15-year-old girl, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The 46-year-old man from Windermere allegedly offered to pay $250 to have unprotected sex with the child twice within an hour after asking if the girl was a virgin, deputies said. 

The married Uber Eats driver was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with: 

• Human trafficking
• Traveling to meet a minor for sex
• Use of computer to solicit guardian of child for sex
• Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony

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33-year-old man offers to pay $400 to ‘go hard’ with 15-year-old girl, deputies say

Trevor Walker of Orlando allegedly spoke with an undercover detective who was posing as an adult with access to a 15-year-old girl, deputies said. The 33-year-old man allegedly said he wanted to "go hard" and have unprotected sex with the girl for three hours, a service he was willing to pay $400 for. 

The Publix distribution worker was booked into the Polk County Jail on the following charges:

• Human trafficking
• Traveling to meet a minor for sex
• Use of a computer to solicit guardian of child for sex
• Use of two-way communication device to commit a felony

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