Elderly Pensacola man caught in PPD sex sting takes plea deal for child solicitation
An elderly Pensacola man caught trying to solicit a child for sex during a Pensacola Police Department sex sting operation pleaded no contest Monday during his jury selection.
Frank Rhobotham, 75, was one of 11 men caught during a three-day sex sting operation in 2023 called "Operation Peek-At-You" in conjunction with the ECSO, FBI, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Department of Homeland Security.
Instead of picking a jury, Rhobotham entered a plea of no contest to using a computer to seduce, solicit or lure a child for sex, according to court records. In exchange for the plea, the Office of the State Attorney dropped his transmitting harmful information to minors and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony charges.
Operation Peek-At-You: Pensacola internet child sex crimes sting nets 11 arrests over 3 days
According to police reports, an undercover officer used the Grindr app to communicate with Rhobotham in which the officer stated he was a 14-year-old boy. In response, records indicate Rhobotham asked who he thought was an underage boy if he wanted to "experiment" and "try sex."
Rhobotham has been previously arrested and convicted for attempting to meet an underage child for sex in 2018, according to his arrest report. He is set for sentencing on July 11 and faces up to five years in state prison.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola man takes plea for child sex solicitation charge
