Lake Placid man arrested in Polk County sex sting

A Lake Placid man was among the 15 arrested between Aug. 12 and 15 in an undercover sting operation that saw them charged with traveling to meet a minor for sex, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Nearly all of the suspects answered ads on Craig's List that were posted by undercover detectives. The common theme was "mom or dad seeking guidance for my daughter," with girls listed as between 10 and 14 years old, a press release stated.

The suspects reportedly expressed an interest in engaging in sexual activity, saying they were willing to "teach" the children how to have sex.

Some allegedly said they wanted to have sex with the "mom" and "child" at the same time, the PCSO said.

In subsequent e-mails, instant messages and phone calls, the detectives offered the suspects an undercover location in Polk County in which to meet. Once they arrived, they were placed under arrest.

Donald Knuckles, 67, of 1559 Oak Ave., Lake Placid, was arrested Saturday, Aug. 14 and charged with two counts of traveling to meet a minor for sex and one count each of using a computer to seduce a child and lewd and lascivious exhibition.

He allegedly drove to the location to have sex with a woman and her 14-year-old daughter.

"(Knuckles) requested that the woman and her daughter wear see-through lingerie," the press release stated.

He also reportedly wanted to have an on-going relationship with the woman and child after the first meeting.

The other suspects came from various communities across the central and southwestern part of the state.

One was listed as a karate instructor for those between 8 and 20 years old, while another was said to be a Little League coach from Lakeland.

A Dunedin man arrested in the sting brought Skittles with him to give to the 13-year-old girl he thought he was talking to in a chat room, the PCSO said.

"Despite the repeated warnings and media coverage of past operations, these perverted men freely chatted with undercover detectives who posed as men and women online," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. "These men expressed specific desires to prey upon who they believed were innocent children.

"Some of the men even sent pornographic images of themselves to the detectives, and made very specific requests about what they wanted these children to do to them," Judd added.