OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla., Aug. 7, 2026—Ten men were apprehended last month in an undercover sting targeting individuals who used the Internet to solicit children for sexual activity.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office’s Homeland Security Unit, working alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations, conducted Operation Summer Sentinel July 22-25.

During the four-day operation, 10 men attempted to arrange sexual encounters with minors who they believed they met online.

Arrested are:

• Eric Scott Haakenson – charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor and use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony
• Mitchell David Burge – charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor and use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony
• Thomas Nathanael Howell – charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor and use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony
• Joshua Logan Starns –charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor and use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony
• Clayton James Kroesche – charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor, use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
• Daniel Warner Stivers – charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor and use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony
• Gabriel Taylor – charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor, use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony and attempted lewd or lascivious performance by a child
• Joshua Samuel Sheffer (Pleasant home school teacher) – charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor and use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony
• Heriberto Santos Godinez – charged with use of a computer to solicit a minor, traveling to meet a minor, use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony and two counts of transmitting harmful material to a minor

In addition to those arrests, investigators identified a registered sexual offender who was on pretrial release for possession of child sexual abuse material and allegedly violated both his pretrial conditions and Florida’s sex offender registration requirements by using a dating application.

Investigators determined he was communicating with who he believed were juvenile males.

Sean Jeffrey Watson was arrested and charged with failure to register an Internet identifier. His bond was subsequently revoked for violating his pretrial conditions.

“The internet has become one of the primary ways child predators attempt to find and exploit victims,” said Sheriff Eric Aden. “Operations like Summer Sentinel send a clear message that the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to proactively identify, investigate, and arrest those who target children online. Protecting our most vulnerable residents remains one of our highest priorities.” 

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office encourages parents and guardians to maintain open conversations with their children about online safety, monitor their online activity and report suspicious behavior to law enforcement.

Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office news release