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Tampa Bay Online Sex Sting Defense
| ✓ KEY TAKEAWAY Most sex sting arrests in Tampa Bay follow the same pattern: an officer poses as an adult online, initiates contact, then introduces a minor into the conversation through a bait-and-switch. One conversation can result in five or more stacked felony charges — including human trafficking — carrying combined exposure exceeding 50 years in prison and mandatory sex offender registration. Defenses exist at every stage, but they require an attorney who understands how these operations are designed. Call The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. at (813) 727-7159 immediately. |
Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato led an elite Major Crimes unit handling sex crimes, homicides, and child abuse cases before founding The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. That background drives every sting defense this firm builds.
What Is a Tampa Bay Sex Sting Operation?
| FLORIDA LAW A sex sting operation is an undercover law enforcement tactic where officers pose as minors — or as parents offering access to minors — on dating apps, social media, or escort websites. The officer initiates contact as an adult, engages the target in conversation, then introduces a minor through a bait-and-switch. This creates the basis for charges under F.S. 847.0135, F.S. 787.06, and F.S. 800.04 — even though no actual child was ever involved. |
Protecting children is a priority everyone shares. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. firmly supports lawful efforts to stop child exploitation. However, Tampa Bay sex stings do not always catch predators seeking children. Detectives using deceptive tactics lure many people into conversations they never intended to have. These methods raise serious questions about fairness, constitutional rights, and the potential for entrapment under Florida Statute 777.201.
How Do Tampa Bay Sex Stings Work?
Local law enforcement agencies — including the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Police Department, and regional ICAC task forces — run undercover operations online. These stings follow a predictable, repeatable pattern. An officer creates a fake adult profile. A legal conversation between apparent adults begins. The conversation turns flirtatious or sexual. Then the officer introduces a minor — typically claiming to be “14 or 15” or offering access to a younger person. The conversation continues under law enforcement control and recording. Arrest occurs when the target travels toward the meeting location or continues soliciting.
This bait-and-switch turns a legal conversation into the basis for a criminal investigation. At The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., we have seen this pattern play out in case after case — and we know exactly where it becomes vulnerable to challenge.
What Charges Come from a Single Sting Operation?
This is where most people are stunned. A single online conversation — with someone who was never a real child — can result in five or more separate felony charges stacked on top of each other.
| ⚠ CRITICAL WARNING Prosecutors routinely file all of the following charges from one sting conversation: Solicitation of a Child Using a Computer (F.S. 847.0135(3), up to 15 years), Traveling to Meet a Minor (F.S. 847.0135(4), up to 15 years), Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Activity (F.S. 787.06(3)(f), up to life), Attempted Lewd or Lascivious Battery (F.S. 800.04, up to 5 years), and Use of Two-Way Communications Device (F.S. 934.215, up to 5 years). Conviction on any single charge carries mandatory sex offender registration — even though no actual child was ever involved. |
Each of these charges has distinct elements the State must prove and distinct defenses that apply. The pages below break down each charge in detail:
- Solicitation of a Child Using a Computer — F.S. 847.0135(3), elements, defenses, and how chat logs are challenged
- Traveling to Meet a Minor Defense — F.S. 847.0135(4), the four elements the State must prove, and where cases break
- Tampa Human Trafficking Defense — F.S. 787.06, why most trafficking charges arise from stings, and five legal defenses
What Defenses Apply to Sex Sting Cases in Tampa?
Every sting operation contains potential points of failure for the prosecution. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. identifies and exploits those failures through aggressive investigation and forensic evidence review.
Entrapment remains the most powerful defense in sting cases. Under Florida Statute 777.201, entrapment applies when law enforcement induces someone to commit a crime they were not predisposed to commit. The bait-and-switch from adult to minor is particularly susceptible to this defense. For a detailed breakdown, read our Tampa Entrapment Defense page.
Lack of intent applies when the defendant never intended to engage in sexual conduct with a minor. Fantasy, curiosity, or confusion does not equal criminal intent — and the State must prove intent beyond a reasonable doubt.
Renunciation is a complete defense when the defendant voluntarily backed out before the crime occurred — not from fear of arrest, but from a genuine change of mind.
No substantial step challenges whether the defendant ever took concrete action toward completing the offense. Without meaningful travel or action, the charges may not survive.
Chat log analysis exposes inducement, missing context, contradictions, and evidence that the officer — not the target — pushed the conversation toward illegal topics. At The Brancato Law Firm, every transcript is analyzed line by line.
What If a Private Vigilante Group Confronted You Instead of Police?
Some Tampa Bay cases now involve private citizens rather than law enforcement. These self-styled “predator hunters” create fake profiles, record confrontations, and post videos online for views and revenue. Unlike police, private actors have no training, often fail to preserve evidence, and frequently mislead, provoke, or edit footage to manufacture drama.
If a civilian posing as a minor confronted you, the case against you may be deeply flawed. Read our page on Vigilante Predator Catcher Defense in Florida.
Can You Win a Sex Sting Case in Tampa?
| CASE RESULT: Solicitation to Commit Human Trafficking — Probation, Not Prison A client was arrested in an online sting operation and charged with solicitation to commit human trafficking and using a computer to commit a sex crime. Although the client was convicted at trial, the defense strategy — including pre-trial treatment participation — contributed to the judge departing from the sentencing guidelines. The client received probation instead of the prison sentence the State demanded. The client preserved contact with his child and retained internet access while on probation. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. |
An arrest is not a conviction. When law enforcement crosses the line — changing their story mid-conversation, pushing targets into situations they never would have entered, or manufacturing crimes through deception — defenses exist. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. has spent over 25 years exposing exactly where that line was crossed.
Arrested in a Tampa Bay Sex Sting? Call Now.
| ⚠ DO NOT TALK TO POLICE If you have been arrested in a sex sting operation, exercise your right to remain silent immediately. Do not explain, justify, or try to clear things up. Everything you say is being recorded and will be used against you. Do not discuss the details with anyone except your attorney. Call The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. at (813) 727-7159 before you say another word. |
Frequently Asked Questions About Tampa Sex Sting Defense
Understanding the Charges
Yes. Florida law explicitly allows prosecution when the “minor” is an undercover officer. The question is whether you believed you were communicating with a minor. However, this belief — and how it was created by law enforcement — opens the door to entrapment and lack-of-intent defenses. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. challenges how that belief was manufactured in every case.
This is the bait-and-switch at the center of most Tampa Bay stings. The fact that you initially believed you were speaking with an adult is central to an entrapment defense. The Brancato Law Firm analyzes exactly when and how the “minor” was introduced — because that moment often determines whether the case holds up.
Prosecutors routinely stack five or more separate felony charges from a single online conversation, with combined exposure exceeding 50 years in prison. Each charge has distinct elements and distinct defenses. Read our individual charge pages for detailed breakdowns: Solicitation of a Child Using a Computer, Traveling to Meet a Minor, and Human Trafficking Defense.
Defenses and Outcomes
Yes. Under Florida Statute 777.201, entrapment applies when law enforcement induces someone to commit a crime they were not predisposed to commit. The bait-and-switch pattern — starting as an adult conversation and shifting to a minor — is particularly susceptible to this defense. Read our full Tampa Entrapment Defense page.
If you genuinely renounced the plan before any crime occurred — not from fear of arrest but because you changed your mind — this can be a complete defense under Florida’s renunciation statute. Lack of travel also supports a lack-of-intent argument.
Yes. Conviction on any sex sting charge — solicitation, traveling to meet a minor, or human trafficking — carries mandatory sex offender registration, even though no actual child was ever involved. That is why aggressive early defense is critical. Call The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. at (813) 727-7159.
Hiring the Right Attorney
The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. brings over 25 years of Tampa Bay criminal defense experience, led by Attorney Rocky Brancato — former Chief Operations Officer of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, where he led and mentored a staff of over 100 attorneys. Rocky’s Major Crimes unit background includes hands-on experience with the same sex crimes, child abuse, and homicide cases that inform how sting operations are built and prosecuted. He holds the AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected to Super Lawyers — credentials that cannot be purchased. Every case receives senior-level attention, forensic chat log analysis, and trial-ready preparation. Call (813) 727-7159 for a confidential consultation.
Related Resources
- Tampa Sex Crimes Defense Attorney
- Solicitation of a Child Using a Computer
- Traveling to Meet a Minor Defense
- Tampa Human Trafficking Defense
- Vigilante Predator Catcher Defense in Florida
- Tampa Entrapment Defense
- Tampa Escorts and Prostitution Stings
- Is Prostitution Legal in Florida?
Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato | The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. | (813) 727-7159
620 E. Twiggs Street, Suite 205, Tampa, FL 33602
Every hour you wait is an hour the State builds its case.
The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. is a Tampa-based criminal defense practice serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. We are not affiliated with any other Brancato-named law firms.
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