- Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed the arrest of 10 Wakulla County-based registered Sexual Offenders/Predators.
- The arrests were part of "Operation Thin Ice."
- Read the FDLE news release below to see what happened.
FDLE NEWS RELEASE:
On February 16, 2024, the arrest phase of “Operation Thin Ice” was completed following the arrest of 10 Wakulla County-based registered Sexual Offenders/Predators for failure to report information required during their mandated sexual offender/predator registrations.
The investigative phase of Operation Thin Ice was initiated in January 2024, which resulted in arrest warrants being issued. The arrests were made by Detectives and Crime Suppression Unit Deputy Sheriffs of the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division; Deputy Marshals of the U.S. Marshals Service; Inspectors of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE); and Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The following Sexual Offenders/Predators were arrested and booked into the Wakulla County Jail:
- Clifford Sutcliffe Sr. – 59 years of age, Sexual Predator due to a 1995 conviction for Sexual Battery by an Adult Upon a Child Under 12 Years of Age.
- Michael Kidwell – 56 years of age, Sexual Predator due to a 1996 conviction for Sexual Battery (4 counts).
- Terry Lewis – 56 years of age, Sexual Offender due to a 1992 conviction for Lewd and Lascivious Upon a Child Under 16 Years of Age.
- Alphonso Williams - 56 years of age, Sexual Offender due to a 2002 conviction for Sexual Battery.
- Jessie Porter – 59 years of age, Sexual Offender due to a 2002 conviction for Use of a Computer to Solicit or Lure a Child to Engage in Sexual Conduct.
- Durwood Nichols – 48 years of age, Sexual Offender due to a 2001 conviction for Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors 16/17 Years of Age.
- Gregory Newton – 62 years of age, Sexual Offender due to a 1998 conviction for a Sex Offense committed against a minor in the State of Nevada.
- Kenneth Ginn – 59 years of age, Sexual Offender due to a 2017 conviction for Use of a Computer to Solicit or Lure a Child to Engage in Sexual Conduct.
- Scott Carter – 63 years of age, Sexual Offender due to a 2016 conviction for 3rd Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (4 counts) and 2nd Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (1 count) which occurred in the State of North Carolina.
- Richard Messer – 51 years of age, Sexual Offender due to a 1996 conviction for Sexual Battery (2 counts).
Sheriff Jared Miller said “I’m proud of all the hard work put in to help keep the children and citizens of Wakulla County safe. My deputies and detectives, as well as our state and federal partners, worked tirelessly for a long time on this operation to bring it to a successful conclusion.”
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said: “Operation Thin Ice is significant because it addresses sexual offenders/predators who failed to report required information regarding their status. People living in the communities where these offenders reside have a right to know who is living near them and law enforcement agencies need this information to track their whereabouts. Ultimately, we are talking about the safety of our communities.”
The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office dedicated Operation Thin Ice to the memory of Jared Ray Causseaux, who passed away February 7, 2024. Causseaux was a U.S. Army veteran and a 27-year employee of the Florida Department of Transportation where he held the position of State GIS Coordinator. The ability to track and monitor sexual predators was built on the foundation of technology and mapping systems. Without the work of Causseaux and individuals like him, Sexual Offenders/Predators could not be tracked as effectively as they are today.
