ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office detectives have arrested a 56-year-old suspect on multiple charges related to child exploitation.
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Michael Christopher Patchen was taken into custody by Crimes Against Children detectives on Tuesday.
The sheriff’s office said that Patchen spoke with an undercover detective he thought was a child. The suspect’s conversations were sexually explicit and he asked the detective posing as a child to meet him for sex.
SJSO said that when Patchen arrived at the meeting location he was taken into custody by detectives.
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Patchen was charged with attempted lewd/lascivious battery, traveling to meet a minor for sex, solicitation of a minor for sex, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
“SJSO ICAC Detectives would like to remind parents and guardians to monitor your children’s online activities, set boundaries, and have conversations about the danger that exists online,” SJSO said in a statement. “Please visit the INTERCEPT Task Force website at https://operationlightshine.org/ for information on reporting child exploitation and human trafficking, and resources to help protect children.
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