For Immediate Release

October 14, 2025

WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. – Inspectors, agents and analysts with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) partnered with the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in the arrest of 10 sexual offenders and sexual predators for violations of Florida law.

The operation began in May when investigators determined that multiple sexual offenders appeared to have unreported accounts with OnlyFans. Registrants are required to report such accounts within 48 hours of usage. 

Nine registrants were found to be in violation of Florida’s registration requirements, including eight sexual offenders and one sexual predator. One additional target was found to have been present at an elementary school without properly notifying administrative staff. 

WCSO arrested two of the identified suspects during the investigative phase of the operation. Arrest warrants were obtained for the remaining eight subjects. 

On October 7, members of FDLE’s Enforcement and Investigative Support Bureau (EIS) and the FDLE Tallahassee Regional Operations Center, in coordination with the WCSO and HSI served the warrants and apprehended five suspects in Wakulla County, one suspect in Tallahassee and one suspect who was confirmed to already be incarcerated in the Taylor County Jail. The remaining warrant was executed on October 8th as the suspect was caught returning to Wakulla County from an alleged work trip.

Arrests: 

Houston Bennett, 38, sexual offender

Charles Deese, 28, sexual offender

John Haynes, 41, sexual offender

Joshua Martin, 39, sexual offender
 Richard Messer, 52, sexual offender

Sumanth Bala Rayapreddy, 41, sexual offender

John Sanders, 20, sexual offender

Spencer Tinson, 56, sexual offender

Carlton Willis, 63, sexual offender

Shay Smith, 28, sexual predator

The 10 suspects face charges including failure to properly report changes to vehicles, email addresses, and internet identifiers, and loitering or prowling in close proximity to children.

FDLE’s Missing Persons and Offender Enforcement Division partners with sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal law enforcement across Florida to verify compliance with Florida’s registration laws requiring sex offenders and predators to report to their local sheriff’s office and provide information including residential addresses, telephone numbers, vehicle information, internet identifiers, photograph, passport and conviction information.

Citizens can access Florida’s Sex Offender Registry by downloading the FDLE Mobile App and search the online Florida’s Sex Offender Registry at Sexual Offenders and Predators Search.

These cases are being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit. 

For Further Information Contact

FDLE Office of Public Information

Info@fdle.state.fl.us