ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office announced the results of two consecutive multiagency operations targeting sexual predators and offenders.
Operation Safe Passage and Operation Unified Watch each lasted about four days, and they both shared the same focus: protecting children from dangerous predators online and out in the community.
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“I recommend this if you think we’re too stringent in St. Johns County, you think we’re too strict, we check you too much, then I recommend that you move to another county,” said Sheriff Robert Hardwick with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
The two operations involved state, local, and federal agencies working together. The first of the two law enforcement efforts was Operation Safe Passage, which targeted subjects who used the internet to prey on children. This took place from September 17th - 20th and led to 17 arrests.
The second, Operation Unified Watch, targeted registered sex offenders and predators in St. Johns County. This operation took place from September 22nd - 25th.
“All 249 registered sex offenders and predators in St. Johns County were actually checked on. Out of that, 19 arrests were made and 36 warrants were actually walked through on those individuals,” said Sheriff Hardwick about Operation Unified Watch.
One of the people arrested during Operation Safe Passage was 32-year-old Terrance Owens, a now former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) civilian employee. JSO says Owens was arrested on charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, human trafficking, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and other charges.
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Action News Jax asked JSO Sheriff T.K. Waters about Owens’ arrest during Monday’s press conference. He said Owens was fired, and he worked as a probationary dispatcher while with JSO.
“Let me say this. We know that less than 1 percent violate this badge,” said Sheriff Waters. “But if you are a part of that less than 1 percent that wants to violate this badge, especially with our children, you’re going to go to jail for it.”
Something else the St. Johns County Sheriff said, just because the operations technically ended, that doesn’t mean the arrests have. Sheriff Hardwick says his deputies are back at it, working again on this.
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