- March 9, 2025
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office netted 15 men, including one Palm Coast resident, over a five-day operation this last week called “Operation No Soliciting."
Vyacheslav Azarov, 43, of 32 Bridgehaven Drive, was arrested for using a computer service to seduce a parent or guardian for sexual activity with a minor.
His arrest was the result of an undercover operation that was designed to find people who use the Internet to sexually exploit children. It is the second one of its kind held in St. Johns County during the last two years.
Azarov is held on $150,000 bail. Suspects from Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach and St. Augustine were also arrested.
During the sting, undercover detectives posed online as juveniles or their parents to arrange for unknown suspects to meet them at an undercover house located in northwestern St. Johns County.
Between March 13 and March 17, the 15 individuals solicited a parent or minor online and came to the undercover home in attempt to participate in sexual activity with children between the ages of 13 and 14.
Once the suspects arrived at the undercover home, they were taken into custody. Three of those arrested came from different areas of Georgia; three from Volusia County; two each from St. Johns, Duval and Alachua counties; and one each from Clay, Nassau and Flagler counties.
The 15 suspects range from 19 to 49 years old and are all facing felony charges. One of the suspects arrested was a school bus driver. Another was enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
Multiple agencies participated in the operation under the auspices of the North Florida Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, including the FBI; the U.S. Marshall's task force; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Office of the State Attorney 7th Judicial Circuit; the sheriff's offices of St. Johns, Alachua, Volusia, Clay and Brevard counties; and the Gainesville, Daytona Beach and Tallahassee police departments.
Those arrested, their charges and bonds are as follows:
Rajiv Pravinkumar Rathod, 28, of 6455 Argyle Forest Blvd. No. 906, Jacksonville, a service station owner. Rathod was released after posting $75,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
Christopher Daniel Holt, 19, of 7508 Wycombe Drive N., Jacksonville, who is enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Holt is held on $75,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
Richard Charles Holubek, 47, of 2890 Maricopa Court., Orange Park, a drug store manager. Holubek is held on $75,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
Nicholas Joseph Stanley, 25, of 1391 Handen Road E., Port Orange, a tutor. Stanley is held on $200,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony; protection of minors, prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscenity.
Richard Allen Copeland, 46, of 1324 Pappy St., St. Augustine, a bus driver. Copeland is held on $160,500 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony; possesion of cocaine; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Anthony Joseph Roski, 46, of 2055 Antioch Church Road, Pearson, Ga., a farm worker. Roski is held on $200,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a guardian, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
George A. Lambing, 44, of 8650 Jake Carlton Drive, Yulee, an electrician. Lambing is held on $150,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a guardian, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
Eric O’neal Westervelt, 49, of 6928 Kapok Drive, Milton, who is retired. Westervelt is held on $200,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a guardian, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony; and distribution of obscene material.
William Claude Smith, Jr., 29, of Pt. Wentworth, Ga., a construction worker. Smith is held on $150,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a guardian, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony. .
Vyacheslav Azarov, 43, of 32 Bridgehaven Drive, Palm Coast, a delivery driver. Azarov is held on $150,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a guardian, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
John Houston Oyler, 29, of 137 Buck Run Way, St. Augustine, who is unemployed. Oyler is held on $150,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
Michael Tyler Baggott, 20, of Rincon, Ga., a criminal justice student. Baggott is held on $150,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
Edward Michael Myers, 20, of Daytona Beach, a college student. Myers is held on $200,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony; and transmitting harmful information to minors, a felony.
Michael Roger Mills, 23, of 2863 SW 38th Place, Gainesville, a fast food manager. Mills is held on $150,000 bond.
Charges: Use of a computer service to seduce or solicit a child, a felony; obscene communication travel to meet after use of a computer to lure a child, a felony; and utilizing a two-way device to facilitate a felony.
Vincent Yedynak, 38, of 955 S. Nova Road, Ormond Beach, who works in maintenance. Yedynak is held on $150,000 bond.
