OCALA, Fla. — No filter, no BS — Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods just went full alpha on a meddling reporter who tried to hijack a victory lap over nabbing 58 sicko child predators.
The no-nonsense lawman exploded Thursday during a press conference touting “Operation Bad Habits,” a weeklong undercover sting that netted teachers, coaches, dads, a high school kid and even immigrants, some caught trying to “buy” children for sex.
But when News 6’s Mike Valente started yapping about an unrelated lawsuit against the Florida Highway Patrol, Woods lost it, and Florida loved him for it.“Out of all this s, you want to ask about another case? We’re talking about CHILDREN!”* the sheriff thundered, jabbing his finger at the mugshots of the pervs. “That is what you need to be focused on. This press conference is solely for those pieces of sh*t right there!”**
The viral clip has racked up massive views and cheers online, with folks calling Woods a hero for refusing to let the media twist the spotlight away from protecting kids.
Detectives posed as children as young as 7 years old on apps and social media. The creeps showed up anyway, one youth football coach even had a damn car seat in his ride for the “meetup.” Woods said that one hit him the hardest.
Among the busts: a second-grade teacher on a work visa who got the boot immediately, plus multiple suspects slapped with human trafficking charges for offering cash to “purchase” kids.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who joined the presser, said his office has helped bag nearly 1,700 child predators statewide since he took over. “It’s no longer a white van... It’s happening on screens, in the privacy of your children’s bedrooms,” he warned.
Sheriff Woods, in his third term, has made it clear: Marion County plays hardball on this “pure evil.”Parents are being urged to monitor their kids’ phones like hawks. The message from Florida law enforcement? Predators beware, the Sunshine State is hunting you down, and they’re not in the mood for media tangents.
