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Police Briefs 9/1/22

Clay County Sheriff's Offiec
Posted 8/31/22

Explicit text messages land Interlachen man in Clay County JailGREEN COVE SPRINGS – The Clay County Sheriff’s Office turned a chat room conversation into an arrest after a man who was …

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Police Briefs 9/1/22


Posted

Explicit text messages land Interlachen man
in Clay County Jail
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The Clay County Sheriff’s Office turned a chat room conversation into an arrest after a man who was “looking for a sexual hook up” with a 12-year-old girl.
Michael Joseph Ingram, 44, of Interlachen, was charged with soliciting a child with a computer and unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony after the CCSO’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit said he sent a text to a girl he believed to be “Ellie” on June 11. The conversation quickly became explicit with Ingram suggesting several sexual acts.
He was arrested in Putnam County and transferred to Clay County on Aug. 24.
The sheriff’s office got a subpoena to investigate the bandwidth and telephone number of the cellphone where the messages originated. It came back to Ingram’s phone.
According to the affidavit for the arrest warrant, Ingram texted the person pretending to be Ellie’s “stepmother” 23 times.
Ingram’s next court appearance will be on Sept. 19. Until then, he will remain in the Clay County Jail with a $350,006 bond.

State: Sex offender back in
jail after violating terms
of probation
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A man who was placed on Sex Offender Probation for 15 years after pleading guilty to molesting a child was arrested on Aug. 27 for violating the terms of his release.
Joseph Anthony Donato III, now 21, now faces the possibility of serving 15 years in prison after the Florida Department of Corrections said he violated 11 conditions of his probation after he pled guilty in 2019 to four counts of sexual assault of a child who was younger than 12 and one count each of lewd and lascivious molestation and battery. According to the original arrest report, Donato was 16 at the time. The crimes happened between Oct, 27-29, 2017, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Donato was arrested on Feb. 15, 2018.
The Department of Corrections said Donato failed to complete a sex offender treatment program, submit to an annual polygraph test, maintain a driving log and not make unauthorized stops while driving to and from work without notifying a supervising officer, paying $40 a month for the cost of supervision, not notifying a supervising officer of a change of employment or residence.
According to the state, Donato owed $6,412.85 in supervision fees and he was fired from his job for poor attendance. He also was dropped from the sex offender treatment program for poor attendance.
Donato now is being held without bond. His next court appearance is Sept. 26.

Failed drug test sends sex
offender back behind bars
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A failed drug test resulted in a man convicted in 2017 of attempted lewd and lascivious behavior back in the Clay County Jail.
James Paul Michel, 44, of Jacksonville, was arrested on Aug. 25 after the Florida Department of Corrections said he failed a drug test on July 22. He’s now awaiting his next hearing on Sept, 26 while being held without bond.
Michel originally was arrested on Feb. 27, 2017, after a 4-year-old girl said he made her watch pornographic movies with him. She also said he forced her to inappropriately touch him.
Michel pled guilty to the charges on June 12, 2017, and he was sentenced to five years in prison and 10 years of probation. He was released on Feb. 21.