LAKE CITY, Fla. — Two men were arrested in Lake City as part of an undercover operation targeting individuals attempting to exploit children online.
The Lake City Police Department conducted the operation over several weeks, with detectives posing as a teenage girl to identify potential child predators, a police news release states.
“These arrests highlight the continued dedication of our detectives to proactively investigate and remove child predators from our community,” stated Chief of Police Gerald Butler.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
On Monday, Yavin Omar Johnson was arrested after he drove to a predetermined location in Lake City, intending to meet a child for a sexual encounter.
Similarly, on Thursday, Marquel Donovan Smith of Gainesville was arrested under the same circumstances.
Both men were taken to the Columbia County Detention Center following their arrests.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
