Reginald Renaldo Jefferson Jr., 29, of Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, United States is accused of using an app to chat online with an individual he believed to be a child. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually communicating with an undercover officer.
Jefferson was arrested and charged in connection with Operation Shining Light, an undercover sting aimed at catching adults using the internet to sexually exploit children. The sheriff’s office of Clay County, Florida led the operation.
Operation Shining Light
To conduct Operation Shining Light, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office collaborated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Orange Park Police Department, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Middle District of Florida and the State Attorneys’ Office, 4th Judicial Court of Florida. Operation Lightshine and the Intercept Task Force of Northeast Florida also participated in the operation.
From August 2-6, 2023, investigators and agents went undercover online as children aged 13 or 14. Once the operation concluded, more evidence were gathered to ensure that the suspects could be prosecuted and held accountable, according to Clay County sheriff Michelle Cook.
On October 18, 2023, Cook announced the arrests of 10 men including Jefferson, who was charged with soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using computer services or devices, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sexual act and fleeing and eluding police. His bond was set at $400,012.
Operation Lightshine x Intercept Task Force of Northeast Florida
In 2019, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Matthew Murphy‘s sister Sarah Anne Vinick was kidnapped and murdered by sex traffickers. In 2021, he organized Operation Lightshine.
Former National Football League player Tim Tebow joined Operation Lightshine. In March 2023, the group and the Intercept Task Force of Northeast Florida joined forces.
CONAN Daily 