Courtesy of WCTV:

By: WCTV Eyewitness News

SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) — The Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office says a Live Oak man has been arrested in St. John’s County after traveling there to have sex with a minor.

59-year-old Curtis Lavon Duggan is charged with use of a computer to solicit, seduce or lure a child for sex, traveling to meet a minor for sex and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Duggan was one of nine men arrested as a result of a four-day operation by the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office, known as ‘Operation Rip Current.’

The operation involved undercover detectives and agents posing as children online in order to deter child predators from victimizing actual children.

Officials with the St. John’s Sheriff’s Office said, “The undercover investigators were contacted by numerous subjects and were exposed to graphic and disturbing subject matter during contact with potential child predators. Many of those subjects aggressively requested to meet in person for the purpose of sexually abusing the child personas.”

During a follow-up investigation, Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office investigators located over 50 cannabis plants and 17 pounds of packaged cannabis at Duggan’s residence.

Deputies say a warrant has been secured for Duggan’s arrest and he will be transferred to Suwannee County.