DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. – A DeFuniak Springs man has been arrested following an investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) has announced.
According to the OCSO, it has charged Jerry Lee Hollingsworth Jr., 44, with using a computer to seduce, solicit or lure a child and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Investigators with the OCSO Internet Crimes Against Children Unit conducted an operation in August 2021, which the agency said led to an investigation where Hollingsworth Jr. was reportedly identified as a suspect.
Hollingsworth Jr. allegedly chatted over social media with an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old, the OCSO said.
According to the OCSO, numerous search warrants and subpoenas were prepared and served to various social media accounts to positively identify Hollingsworth Jr. The agency said that part of the investigation was time-consuming and caused a delay in the arrest.
