St. Johns County man arrested for soliciting a child for sex online

Undercover cybercrimes detective posed as 13-year-old girl

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A St. Johns County man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on several felony charges after he thought he was meeting a child for sex, police said.

Michael Joseph Williams, 32, was charged with using a computer service to seduce, solicit and lure a person believed to be a child; to commit an unlawful sexual act with a child; traveling to meet a minor; traveling to meet a minor after using a computer service to entice a person believed to be a parent; to commit an unlawful sexual act with a child; attempted lewd or lascivious battery-engaged in sexual activity with a person over 12 but less than 16, and use a computer service to entice a person believed to be a parent to commit an unlawful sexual act with a child.

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Detectives began the investigation Monday, when the suspect began talking with an undercover cybercrimes detective posing as a relative of a young girl, police said. The following day Williams began talking with someone he believed was a 13-year old female, police said.

Williams continued to talk with the undercover officer, discussing a time and place to meet and ultimately engage in sexual activity with the minor girl, according to police.

The suspect traveled to meet the undercover officer at an undisclosed location in St. Johns County, where he was taken into custody without incident by Special Victims’ Unit detectives, police said.

Williams was booked into the County Jail on the above charges, and will have a first appearance hearing Thursday morning.