News

FDLE, ACSO, GPD and FDC Operation Won’t Back Down nets area sexual offenders

 
For Immediate Release
August 9, 2023
 
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), working jointly with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) and the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC), arrested eight sexual offenders during a two-week operation to conduct physical address verifications of registered sexual offenders and sexual predators in Alachua County. Operation Won’t Back Down resulted in each partner law enforcement agency making multiple arrests.
 
Operation Won’t Back Down, a joint public safety operation, took place between July 17 through July 28. Investigators attempted 177 address checks, making physical contact with 84 registrants.
 
Investigative efforts resulted in nine arrests, the identification of 10 sexual offender/predator absconders, and 12 registrants brought into compliance with Florida law.
 
Arrests made as a direct result of Operation Won’t Back Down:
 
  • Paul Davon Tschaka Shackelford, 46, of Gainesville, arrested on an outstanding warrant for sexual battery by a person 18 years of age or older against a victim 18 years of age or older and felony battery, and one count possession of a controlled substance without prescription. Shackelford is not a registered sexual offender, but would qualify for registration if convicted of his sexual battery charge.
 
  • Ronnie Laron Williams, 51, of Gainesville, arrested on one count each of failure of a sexual offender to register changes to cellular phone and providing false sex offender registration information. Williams is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2000 Alachua County conviction for lewd assault/sexual battery against a victim under the age of 16.
 
  • Samuel Caraballo, 41, of Gainesville, arrested on one count of violation of probation. Caraballo is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2004 Broward County conviction for lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim 12 to 15 years of age.
 
  • Jose Bautista-Cruz, 60, of Gainesville, arrested on six counts of providing false sex offender registration information. Bautista-Cruz is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 1996 Virginia conviction for aggravated sexual battery in Virginia.
 
  • Taurus Cordarryl Duncan, 34, of Gainesville, arrested on an outstanding warrant issued for two counts of failure of a sexual offender who maintains a transient residence to report every 30 days. Duncan is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2008 Alachua County conviction for lewd or lascivious battery against a victim 12 to 15 years of age.
 
  • Tommie Charlie Howard, 37, of Hawthorne, arrested on one count of failure of a sexual offender to report an email address or internet identifier. Howard is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2014 Alachua County conviction for sexual battery involving a level of force not likely to cause serious bodily injury.
 
  • Travis Dewayne Watkins, 44, of Hawthorne, arrested on one count of violation of probation. Watkins is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2012 Alachua County conviction for two counts of lewd or lascivious battery against a victim under 16 years of age.
 
  • Kevin Ray Frutiger, 35, a previous resident of Gainesville, arrested on one count of failure of a sexual offender to report a change in vehicles owned and four counts of providing false sex offender registration information. Frutiger is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2017 Illinois conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving a victim 13 to 16 years of age.
 
  • Ajaquan Malik Walker, 21, of Gainesville, arrested for sex offender violations including one count each failure to report after vacating residence, failure to re-register every six months, failure to report drivers license change of name, and failure to register email address and/or internet identifiers. Walker is a registered juvenile sexual offender in Florida due to a 2020 Alachua County delinquent adjudication for sexual battery by a juvenile against a victim under 12 years of age.
  
Absconders:
 
  • Keith Larmont Garrison, 49, last reported address in Gainesville. Garrison is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2001 Alachua County conviction for lewd or lascivious battery against a victim under 16 years of age.
 
  • Randall Irwin Ray, 48, last reported address in Gainesville. Ray is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a Florida due to a 1999 Tennessee conviction for statutory rape.
 
  • Kendrick Leon Young, 35, last reported address in Gainesville. Young is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2012 Alachua County conviction for lewd or lascivious battery against a victim 12 to 15 years of age.
 
  • Timothy James Curtin, 52, last reported address in Gainesville. Curtin is a registered sexual predator in Florida due to a 1998 Leon County conviction for sexual battery against a victim 12 years old or older and physically helpless.
 
  • Wayne Jamar Solomon, 40, last reported address in Gainesville. Solomon is a registered sexual predator in Florida due to a 2003 Bradford County conviction for engaging in sexual activity with a person 12 To 15 years of age or encouraging, forcing, or enticing a person under 16 to engage in sadomasochistic abuse, sexual bestiality, prostitution, or any other act involving sexual activity.
 
  • Frederick Bernard Dobson, 31, last reported address in Micanopy. Dobson a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 2016 Alachua County conviction for lewd or lascivious battery against a victim 12 to 15 years of age.
 
  • Theophilus Joe Preston, 71, last reported address in Gainesville. Preston is a registered sexual predator in Florida due to a 2004 Alachua County conviction for sexual battery and/or injures to sexual organs of a victim less than 12 years old by a person 18 years of age or older.
 
  • Akeem Reshard Crumtie, 25, last reported address in Gainesville. Crumtie is a registered juvenile sexual offender in Florida due to a 2013 Alachua County delinquent adjudication for lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years old by a person under 18 years of age.
 
  • Anthony Raynard Hathcock Jr., 44, last reported address in Gainesville. Hathcock is a registered sexual predator in Florida due to a 1999 Alachua County conviction for sexual battery of a victim 12 or older and in the process uses physical force not likely to cause serious personal injury.
 
  • Che Ve Laneal Tarver, 56, last reported address in Gainesville. Tarver is a registered sexual offender in Florida due to a 1990 Alachua County conviction for three counts lewd or lascivious sexual battery on a child under 16 years of age and one count attempted lewd or lascivious sexual assault on a child under 16 years of age.
 
Citizens having information on the whereabouts of an absconded registered sexual offender or registered sexual predator are encouraged to contact FDLE’s Enforcement and Investigative Support Bureau by calling 1-888-357-7332 or emailing sexpred@fdle.state.fl.us.
 
Citizens can access Florida’s Sex Offender Registry via the FDLE Mobile App and online at https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/home.jsf.
 
The FDLE Mobile App also allows users to search active AMBER, Missing Child, Purple and Silver Alerts, purchase a Florida criminal history, search wanted persons or unsolved Florida cases and submit a tip about suspicious activity.
 
Search for “FDLE Mobile App” to download it for free from the Google Play store or Apple's App Store. The app does not track your location or store your personal information.
 
For Further Information Contact:
FDLE Public Information Office
(850) 410-7001
 

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Priorities

FDLE is composed of five areas: Executive Direction and Business Support, Criminal Investigations and Forensic Science, Criminal Justice Information, Criminal Justice Professionalism and Florida Capitol Police. FDLE’s duties, responsibilities and procedures are mandated through Chapter 943, FS, and Chapter 11, FAC. To learn more about these areas, read our Statement of Agency Organization and Operation or visit our Open Government page.