The Bay County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of Gerardo Carreto Cardenas, age 56, of Panama City Beach, Florida.
Cardenas was located during an undercover operation targeting individuals seeking to sexually exploit children online.
In March 2023, investigators with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division Crimes Against Children Unit began the undercover operation.
Not long after it started, Cardenas messaged investigators believing he was communicating with a 15-year-old child.
Cardenas solicited the child for nude photographs and sent a photograph of himself along with a large sum of money.
In April 2023, Cardenas resumed communication with investigators, again thinking he was communicating with a 15-year-old child.
During this message thread, Cardenas asked to meet with the child to go out to eat, and asked if the child was sexually active.
Cardenas also wanted to be sure he was not talking to law enforcement.
In May 2023, Cardenas reached out to investigators a third time, again thinking he was communicating with a 15-year-old child.
During this exchange with investigators, Cardenas expressed a desire to “hang out” with the child, and stated he would have sex with the child if the child wanted to.
He also agreed to pay the child $150 an hour for their time.
Investigators provided Cardenas with a predetermined meeting location and established surveillance.
Shortly after arranging to meet, Cardenas arrived and was taken into custody.
In a subsequent interview with Cardenas, he admitted to being the one communicating with investigators and stated he only wanted to “help” the child and contact the child’s parents.
Cardenas was charged with Traveling to Meet a Minor for Sex and taken to the Bay County Jail.
