OCALA, FL (352today.com) – At a media conference on the morning of Thursday, June 11, 2026, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods celebrated interagency collaboration as one of the keys to a successful week-long sting operation, dubbed “Operation Bad Habits,” that resulted in the arrests of nearly 60 men.
“Once again, the amazing teamwork and determination among all these agencies involved are sending a clear message to child sex predators that Florida has no tolerance for this and we will continue to do everything we can to protect these children,” Sheriff Woods said in a statement.
The undercover operation, in which detectives posed as children between the ages of 7 and 15 years old online, resulted in 58 arrests.
“Arrested in this operation were legal and illegal immigrants, fathers, coaches, teachers and even a high school student,” read the announcement. “Several of these predators were also charged with human trafficking as they were trying to ‘purchase’ these children for sex.”
Agencies involved in the operation included:
- Marion County Sheriff’s Office
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement
- Polk County Sheriff’s Office
- Columbia County Sheriff’s Office
- Ocala Police Department
- Lake City Police Department
- Florida Highway Patrol
- U.S. Marshal’s Service
- Department of Homeland Security
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Florida Sheriff’s Association
- Office of the State Attorney Fifth Judicial Circuit
- U.S. Attorney’s Office Middle District of Florida