PCSO helps catch alleged online sex predator in Florida

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office helped nab an online child sex predator in Florida earlier this month.

According to information released by PCSO on Wednesday, Lee Trikojat, 31, of Cocoa, Florida, was arrested for alleged online sex crimes after he contacted a PCSO special investigator who was posing as a 14-year-old girl in an online chatroom.

After discussing their age multiple times, the report says, Trikojat asked the undercover detective to “keep their relationship a secret,” and sent inappropriate pictures of himself to the detective.

The detective reached out to investigators in Florida who then, posing as a 13-year-old girl, established contact with the suspect. Trikojat was arrested after trying to meet to the supposed 13-year-old and charged with “using a computer to solicit and transmit harmful images to minors,” the report says.

The incident struck a nerve with Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb.

“Being a father, it angers me that there are people out there that want to manipulate and harm our children,” Lamb said. “No matter where they are, I’m proud our investigators are able to work with agencies across the nation to get these people off the streets.”

PCSO spokesperson Navideh Forgahni said the sheriff’s office has a special unit dedicated to tracking down and capturing online sexual predators.

Reminding parents and kids to be vigilant, she warned how manipulative online sexual predators can be.

“They’re very quick and very good at reeling these kids in,” Forgahni said. “He [Trikojat] told this child, or who he thought was a child, that they [the child] were going to get in trouble if they told anybody.”

Brevard County court documents show Trikojat was charged with “use of computer services to solicit or seduce a child” and “in state electronic transmission of harmful info to minors.” Both charges are third-degree felonies in Florida, each punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Trikojat posted a $70,000 bond and was released from Brevard County Jail on July 11.

PCSO has a history working on multiple national and international cases concerned with online sex crime against children, helping with investigations as far away as New Zealand.