DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Virginia father arrested in a Florida sex sting told police he left his wife and children at the resort to pick up hot doughnuts at Krispy Kreme. Police believe Timothy Tate Jr., 40, of Bumpass, was actually on his way to meet a child for sex.
Police arrested Tate August 3 near Volusia Mall in Daytona Beach, Florida. Tate told police he was in Florida on vacation.
The day before his arrest, police said Tate exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year-old girl.
The officer posing as a child and Tate agreed to meet.
On August 3 at 12:41 a.m., Tate texted the teen to let her know he was nearby.
That’s when police moved in and made the arrest — captured on an officer’s body camera.
Police: Show me your hands! Get out you're under arrest. You're under arrest. Drop the cigarette.
Tate: I apologize.
P: Drop it!
T: What did I do, sir?
P: First off, you did not stop when I lit you up.
T: I was texting my wife.
P: Let go, what this is.
T: It's a key.
P: You don't text your wife when the cops light you up. You pull over.
T: I was pulling out of your way. I did not know I was in your way, sir.
T: I don't have any kind of weapons.
P: Well, you're already not pulling over when we tell you, so we have to check.
T: I wasn't trying... I was pulling out of your way. I wasn't pulling away from you.
P: Aw, forget it. I'm not even arguing with you.
P: Stop moving!
T: I thought you was pushing me one way or another.
P: No.
P: So if you're in a parking lot totally by yourself and all the police lights light you up...
T: It was only one light sir. I thought I was in your way. So I pulled out of your way.
P: Why didn't you stop there, there, there, there, there, there. You drove all this way.
T: No, I stopped right here at the curb sir.
P: You only stopped because the other cop pulled in front of you to block you in.
T: No. That vehicle was just around the corner. No lights, no nothing.
P: Yeah, I know. That was another cop.
T: Well I had no idea.
P: We were blocking you in because you were attempting to flee.
T: I'm not attempting to flee. You have my word.
P: I know, because you're in handcuffs.
T: No, no. Never, in any chance would I ever attempt to flee, sir.
P: Well you didn't. I hit the siren and everything and you did not pull over.
T: I apologize. That was a misunderstanding. You're totally taking me for the wrong scenario. I wasn't attempting to run.
P: I don't live in Virginia, but when the cops turn on their lights and sirens there you just do what you want, or do you pull over?
T: We pull off to the side.
P: Like in every, the United State of America, that's how we do it. Even in Europe, because I have been to Europe.
T: I pulled off, out of the way.
P: I was fixing to put that bumper in the back of your truck and spin you out of the way.
T: Oh! Well, I apologize. I had no idea. I wasn't pulling away sir.
P: I know because you got blocked in.
T: No, it was not even like that.
P: Yeah, it was like that.
T: Alright. I ain't going to argue with you sir. You know your job. It doesn't do any good anyway. I apologize.
[dip to black]
P: We're waiting right now for the transport guy and he'll take you to jail.
T: Well, uh, what about notifying my wife?
P: How old are you?
T: I'm 30 years old, I mean 40 years old. But my wife is at a resort at the beach right now, with my two kids -- nine years old and 11 years old.
P: So if your wife and two kids are here, what are you doing out here at this hour of night?
T: I'm going to get... I walked... come past Krispy Kreme. Krispy Kreme was not hot doughnuts yet, so I come down, killing time, going back and catching hot doughnuts. That's all. I texted my wife just a little bit ago.
P: They have a Krispy Kreme on the beach side. That's way closer to your hotel.
T: The only place I know of is right there at International and Nova, maybe. That's the only Krispy Kreme I am aware of.
P: Why did you pull in back here? This place is not even open?
T: I was turning around. I was texting my wife.
P: Oh. (inaudible) in the dark?
T: No. I was just turning around. And I stopped. I was told never to text and drive. So I pulled off to text.
P: Well, we'll worry about calling your wife later. I'm sure she'll understand why you got back late with your doughnuts.
Tate was one of 13 men arrested in the sting.
"Our main goal is to protect the children and let these people know: We are there, we will go after them, and if they stick their heads up, we’re going to let the world know who they are," Sheriff Ben Johnson said.
Tate, and the others, were charged with attempted lewd or lascivious battery, using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure/entice a child, traveling to meet a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct and use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
