Clay County Official Resigns After Arrest in Nassau County Child Exploitation Sting

[Artaxerxes II]

https://yuleenews.com/clay-county-offic ... ion-sting/

A former Supervisor of the Clay County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the son of a Clay County School Board member, was among four Clay County men arrested during a 10-person child exploitation sting conducted by the Nassau County Sheriffs Office (NCSO).

Harrison Ted Clark, 30, of Orange Park, resigned from his position on Friday, January 24, following his arrest on charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, soliciting a child online, and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony. Clark is the son of Clay County School Board member Beth Clark District 3.

The sting, spearheaded by NCSO, targeted individuals attempting to exploit minors through online platforms. Deputies posed as a 14-year-old child and engaged in explicit conversations with suspects using platforms such as Skip The Games, Sniffies, and Tagged.

Clark is accused of using Sniffies to communicate with an undercover officer he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. According to investigators, Clark admitted he knew the respondents age and sent messages including, Hopefully not too old for ya,and So your parents won’t be home, that’s crazy,along with other sexually explicit exchanges. Clark allegedly arranged to meet the minor January 19 at State Road 200 and Flora Park Blvd., where he was taken into custody.

Court documents reveal Clark admitted to an addiction to pornography and preference for children, he said intensified after the pornography website PornHub restricted its services in Florida on Jan. 1.

Among the other Clay County men arrested were:

• Willie Leon Wright, 40, of Green Cove Springs, a registered sex offender with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

• Randal James Warn, 44, of Oakleaf.

• Christian Tillmon, 24, of Oakleaf.

Soil and Water Conservation District Statement

In response to Clarks resignation and arrest, the Clay County Soil and Water Conservation District issued the following statement:

The Clay Soil and Water Conservation District is deeply troubled to learn that our former chair, Harrison Ted Clark, was recently arrested as part of a sting operation in Nassau County. The District was blindsided by this information several hours after Former Supervisor Clark had emailed his notice of resignation Friday afternoon. Former Supervisor Clarks actions in no way reflect the code of ethics by which the District operates. We stand ready to assist with any investigational efforts that may be needed of our district.

Community Impact and Ongoing Investigation

The arrests have sent shockwaves through the Clay County community and Nassau County,particularly given Clarks position as an elected official and his family ties to the school board in Clay County.

The sting operation, which led to the arrests of 10 individuals, highlights the growing need for online monitoring and proactive law enforcement strategies. Investigations into potential connections to other cases are ongoing.

Clark and the other suspects are currently facing legal proceedings, with bonds and additional charges being reviewed. For more updates, stay tuned as details develop.