Four men have been arrested in Clay County for engaging in unlawful sexual activity with children, Clay County Sheriff’s Office reported Saturday. The arrests were the result of an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Operation.
In June 2022, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office worked in conjunction with the Naval Criminal Investigative services to conduct a proactive online operation targeting individuals who seek to engage in unlawful sexual activity and exploitation of children, according to a Clay County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post.
Each suspect believed they were communicating with children or parents who had access to children, the post said. The suspects attempted to engage in unlawful sexual activity with children, or arrange for unlawful sexual activity with the child through the parents.
It was noted that two current sexual offenders were arrested as a result of this operation.
Philip Haines, 39, was a registered sex offender from Flagler County who was arrested as a result of this operation. Haines was arrested June 11, 2022, and was found guilty on charges of using a computer to solicit a parent of a child to have the child engage in unlawful sexual conduct, traveling to meet a child to engage in unlawful sexual conduct and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Haines was found guilty of all charges on Aug. 23, 2022, in Clay County Courtroom 12 where Judge Timothy R. Collins sentenced him to 10 years in prison followed by five years on sex offender probation.
Christopher Fox, 40, was a registered sex offender from Alachua County who was arrested as a result of this operation. Fox is currently in Alachua County Jail on unrelated charges and a warrant for him to be transferred to Clay County Jail has been issued. He faces charges for using a computer to solicit a child to engage in unlawful sexual conduct and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Due to Fox currently being incarcerated in Alachua County Jail, there are no court hearings scheduled for his case. His trial in Clay County will begin once custody is handed over to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Michael J. Ingram, 44, of Interlachen, was arrested Aug. 24, 2022, on charges of using a computer to solicit the parent of a child to have the child engage in unlawful sexual conduct and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Ingram is awaiting pretrial which is scheduled for Feb. 6 at 1:30 p.m. in Clay County Courtroom 11.
Terry McDonald, 46, of Jacksonville, was arrested Nov. 18, 2022, on charges of using a computer to solicit a child to engage in unlawful sexual conduct, the transmission of harmful material to minors and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
McDonald is awaiting pretrial which is scheduled for March 21 at 9 a.m. in Clay County Courtroom 12.
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