BY: 24/7 CRIME DESK | BocaNewsNow.com
BROWARD COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2024 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A North Broward County man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly told two undercover officers that he wanted to engage in physical activity with a seven-year-old girl. Thomas Dempsey is now being held in the Broward County Jail.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office shared the details of his arrest with BocaNewsNow.com.
“The Broward Sheriff’s Office South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested a Deerfield Beach man Thursday morning for solicitation of a minor. The arrest occurred following a coordinated effort between BSO and the Owatonna Police Department (OPD) in Owatonna, Minnesota.
On Friday, Feb. 23, BSO’s ICAC investigators received information from OPD about a South Florida man, identified as Thomas W. Dempsey, seeking to engage in a sexual encounter with a child. According to BSO ICAC detectives, during an online chat investigation conducted by OPD, Dempsey expressed this desire to an undercover OPD detective.
During the online operation, Dempsey provided the undercover OPD detective his cellphone number and asked the undercover OPD detective to share it with a woman, who he believed would allow him to participate in a sexual act with a minor. OPD detectives immediately contacted BSO’s ICAC Task Force and provided the information.
At approximately 11:30 a.m. Thursday, an undercover BSO ICAC detective began chatting with Dempsey.
During the conversation, the 38-year-old agreed to pay the woman $60 to engage in a sexual activity with a 7-year-old child. He also told the undercover ICAC detective he was a “good tipper” and would pay for the hotel room.
Through the investigation, BSO ICAC detectives learned Dempsey lived in the city of Deerfield Beach and worked to obtain a warrant for his arrest.
On Thursday, Feb. 29, investigators executed the warrant and took Dempsey into custody. He was transported to BSO Main Jail and faces one count of solicitation of a minor to engage in sexual conduct and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.”
Dempsey remained in the Broward County Jail mid-day Friday, March 1, 2024.
