OCALA, FL (352today.com) – An Ocala man was found guilty of serious child solicitation charges following a brief jury deliberation.
Matthew Hand, 40, was convicted of Traveling to Meet a Minor and Soliciting a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct. The verdict came after less than an hour of deliberation in the courtroom of Judge Timothy T. McCourt.
The Ocala Police Department (OPD) initiated an investigation into Hand in December 2023. During an undercover operation, an OPD officer posed as a 12-year-old child online. Hand engaged in explicit conversations with the decoy, despite repeatedly being informed of the minor’s age. He then requested to meet with the child for sexual activity.
Law enforcement officers arranged a meeting with Hand, where he was subsequently arrested.
“There is nothing more vile than those who seek to exploit and harm our children,” said Walter Forgie, Fifth Judicial Circuit Chief Assistant State Attorney. “It’s not only morally reprehensible but it’s illegal and carries hefty consequences.”
Assistant State Attorney Shanae Pickens successfully prosecuted the case. OPD, specifically Officer Boyd and Detective Blanton, were instrumental in the investigation and evidence collection.