On August 12, 2020, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Tampa, Florida announced the arrests of 16 men for soliciting sex (Solicitation) with undercover detectives that the Defendants allegedly believed to be minors. The undercover operation was named “Operation Small Talk” by the authorities who engaged in an undercover online chat operation. The charges involve a variety of computer based sex offenses, some involving allegations of child pornography and other felony level offenses.

Allegations of online solicitation and other sex crime offenses online are serious and the potential penalties often involve extensive prison time and other consequences, such as sex offender registration. It is expected that the Hillsborough County Sheriff and other law enforcement agencies involved in the operation will release additional details shortly.

If you have questions regarding charges of solicitation of a child in Hillsborough County, Tampa, Florida, or have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony computer crime or internet crime, please do not hesitate to contact the Tampa Criminal Defense Law Firm, The Frey Law Firm, LLC in Tampa, Florida for a free initial consultation.

The Frey Law Firm, LLC in Tampa, Florida represents clients, both individuals and companies, in cases involving digital evidence, as well as cases involving federal or state investigations or charges. Attorney Ron Frey has over 16 years of experience and has represented clients in cases in solving digital evidence and computer crime around the country. Attorney Frey is licensed in Ohio, North Carolina and Florida. The Frey Law Firm, LLC is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.