OCALA, Fla. – Marion County and state officials on Thursday announced the arrest of more than 50 people in what is being called the largest child predator sting in the county's history.
As part of Operation Bad Habits, detectives posed online as children, ranging in age from 7 to 15 years old, or as parents offering to traffic their children to suspects, according to Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods.
“These predators simply found us. They found our profiles. They solicited us. The only thing that we did is we joined whatever application, whatever website,†Woods said.
Woods said the suspects included fathers, teachers, coaches and even a high school student.
One suspect, Ashay Shakes, 31, identified himself as a second-grade teacher at Fessenden Elementary School in Marion County. He is in the country on a work visa from Jamaica.
Another suspect, Wyatt Bernstein, was identified as a Pop Warner football coach.
Woods also pointed to another suspect, Matthew White, who had been arrested in April in Stuart during a child sex predator sting. Woods says he was out on bond when he traveled to Marion County to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl.
“We have broken systems throughout this United States, and sometimes our judicial system fails us,†Woods said.
Another suspect, Matthew Szilagyi, is accused of agreeing to meet with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl. The location of the meeting? The Marion County Jail.
“At least he saved me some money. I didn't have to use all that gas to take him,” Woods said.
Woods was joined by a lineup of state officials, including Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Glass, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, Florida Highway Patrol Colonel Howze, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken, and representatives from Florida's Fifth District Office of the State Attorney.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
