USF student caught in sex sting
A weeklong undercover sex sting in Wildwood in Sumter County led to the arrest of a USF student who authorities believe was attempting to engage in sexual conduct with a minor.
Twenty-year-old Ishan Howard was arrested March 20 when county detectives, who posed as 14-year-old children online, directed him to a private residence to have sex.
Anthony Caruthers of the detention support staff for the Sumter County Detention Center said Howard was charged with four felonies: obscene communication through use of computers to solicit a parent, guardian or child for sex; obscene communication to travel and meet; use of two-way communication to facilitate a felony and cruelty toward a child.
Howard was released Tuesday on $80,000 bond.
Justin Martin, a 2010 USF alumnus, said Howard was his roommate on campus in either 2008 or 2009, Martin’s “sophomore or junior year.”
“(This) is incredibly shocking (to me),” he said of Howard’s arrest. “I never knew he would be capable of something like that.”
Martin said Howard was a freshman when they were roommates and “seemed normal at the time.”
“When (we) were roommates, I didn’t see any problems – he had a girlfriend, he had a somewhat stable life,” Martin said. “He was very outgoing, he liked to hang out a lot. He was always eager to find out what else was out there.”
According to a release on the Sumter County Sherriff’s Office website, 22 arrests were made as a result of the sting. Those arrested were charged with a total of 50 felonies and three misdemeanors.
More Stories
USF won’t install more physical protections following recent on-campus suicide
USF will not be implementing additional physical safety measures over a month after a student leapt from an upper floor inside the Interdisciplinary Sciences building, USF spokeswoman Althea Johnson said. The incident marked the third on-campus suicide since fall 2022. A week after a student fell from an upper floor of Beard Garage in 2022, […]
Meet USF’s new student body president and vice president
A new era of Student Government (SG) just arrived. In a quick five-minute ceremony, student body president-elect Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and vice president-elect Sumit Subhash Jadhav were sworn in on Wednesday afternoon. Their term will start on May 6 and last for one year. Related: Take a look at USF’s student leaders’ swearing in ceremony […]
Photos: Take a look at USF’s student leaders’ swearing in ceremony
A new era of Student Government (SG) just arrived. In a quick five-minute ceremony, student body president-elect Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and vice president-elect Sumit Subhash Jadhav were sworn in on Wednesday afternoon. Related: USF student body president and vice president-elect sworn in Their term will start on May 6 and last for one year. Gabrielle […]
President Joe Biden visits Tampa to talk abortion rights
Gearing up for the 2024 presidential election, President Joe Biden made a stop in Tampa to talk about reproductive freedom in Florida on Tuesday afternoon. The speech comes just two weeks before the state’s six-week abortion ban comes into effect on May 1. Biden called on Floridians to vote for an amendment deciding abortion access […]
‘Genocide Joe has got to go’: Pro-Palestine protestors gather during Biden’s visit to Tampa
While President Joe Biden took 15 minutes to talk on the protection of reproductive rights in Tampa on Tuesday, pro-Palestine protests chanted against the United States handling “on-going genocide” in Gaza, and its alliance to Israel in the conflict. Related: President Joe Biden visits Tampa to talk abortion rights “The lack of coverage in the media […]
USF students can ‘Swap Shop’ their way into free items this week
USF’s Swap Shop is just around the corner. Literally. Bulls can stop by the Swap Shop, located in Holly J, to pick up some free items – from furniture to clothing. Students, staff and faculty had the opportunity to donate items for the Swap Shop earlier this week on Monday and Tuesday. But ‘shopping’ won’t […]