JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 34-year-old illegal immigrant was the latest person to be arrested as part of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office’s “Operation Checkmate,” an investigation targeting people using the internet to solicit sex from children.
JSO announced the arrest of Jose Malagon in a video posted to the agency’s Facebook page that showed his arrest.
According to JSO, Malagon communicated with an undercover detective who posed as a teenage girl on a website. He planned to meet the “teen,” but JSO said he never attended the arranged meetings.
A warrant was issued Thursday for Malagon’s arrest, a few weeks after the operation ended, but U.S. Marshals located him in Neptune Beach to make the arrest.
JSO said he violently resisted.
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In the body-cam footage of the exchange, an officer asked Malagon, “You ever been to prison?”
Malagon explained that he previously served time in a Georgia prison for a DUI, to which the officer says, “You’re going back.”
“Yeah, I’m going back,” Malagon replied with a snarky smile.
Malagon has prior arrests on his record and is, according to authorities, in the country illegally from Mexico.
JSO also said additional warrants are outstanding for other individuals identified during the operation.
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