Man who attempted to flee child sex sting gets 15 years in prison
♦ Darren Vincent pleaded guilty to multiple counts of aggravated assault on a police officer as well as sexual exploitation of children.
“Here’s where you go away, I’m 14,” the message read.
But a man, who’d put out a Craigslist ad seeking a sexual encounter didn’t go away.
Darren Allan Vincent kept messaging the person who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Then prosecutors said after a few days of messaging, on March 16, 2018 he showed up for their meeting.
Police were there to meet him, it was all part of a sting operation.
“When three officers in the home came out, he tried to run over them,” said Floyd County Assistant District Attorney Kevin Salmon.
Vincent fled nearly hitting police several times and reaching speeds up to 130 mph in the chase, Salmon said. He was stopped on Hwy. 53 at the Gordon County line by Floyd County police officers.
In that chase, Salmon said, Vincent aimed his vehicle at pursuing police vehicles.
Vincent, now 49, pleaded guilty Monday to felony criminal attempt to commit aggravated child molestation as well as 8 counts of aggravated assault on a police officer and was sentenced to 25 years to serve 15 in prison.
As part of that same March 2018 sting, Operation Southern Impact II, nine Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces in eight states targeted those seeking to prey upon children. A total of 76 people were arrested in eight southeastern states and the Floyd County Police Department participated along several regional, state and federal agencies.
Floyd Countya District Attorney Leigh Patterson cautioned parents to know what their children are doing online.
“There’s always guys like this out there on the internet,” she said.