By TIFFANY REPECKI

trepecki@breezenewspapers.com

A Cape Coral man remained in jail Wednesday after an undercover operation allegedly found him, and several others, in possession of child pornography.

Rene Gerald Labonte, 63, of 2211 N.E. 15th Lane, was arrested and charged Monday with three counts of activities regarding materials constituting containing child pornography, according to the Fort Myers U.S. District Court.

Labonte, who has been denied bond, is being held at the Lee County Jail.

A registered sex offender, he faces federal charges, according to officials.

The 10-month operation, conducted by the Innocent Images Task Force, concluded Wednesday with the arrest of nine men in total. The other eight charged in connection to the area enforcement are facing state charges.

“Hundreds of files containing images or videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct were identified and traced to the IP addresses of those arrested today,” Lee County Sheriff’s Office officials reported.

Search warrants were executed at the related homes and businesses.

“Computers and digital media were seized and submitted for forensic examination,” officials continued in a statement. “In each case, evidence confirmed the suspects were in possession of the illegal pornography.”

Labonte’s next court appearance is scheduled Oct. 11.

He has been assigned a public defender, Russell Rosenthal.

According to court documents, Labonte was arrested in 2003 for failing to register as a sexual offender, as well as earlier this year. In March, the State Attorney’s Office found that the case was legally insufficient to prosecute.

In the 2003 arrest, Labonte was found guilty by a jury the following year. A count of violation of probation or community control was dismissed, while the jury found him not guilty of a second count of violation of probation in 2005.

The following individuals were charged with possession with the intent to promote a photo, motion picture or representation of sexual conduct by a child, sexual performance by a child as part of the 10-month operation:

– Ernest John Sandoe, 83, of 8281 Shorecrest Drive, Fort Myers

– William Thomas, 65, of 8861 Brittania Drive, Fort Myers

– Mark Alan Straulin II, 20, of 383 Rosemont Drive, Fort Myers

– William Grandon Whitcomb, 68, of 2016 Bayside Parkway, Fort Myers

– Donald Lee Payton, 57, of 16970 Pelican Way, North Fort Myers

– Jason R. Russo, 28, of 6308 Panther Lane, Apt. C2, Fort Myers

– Ronald Franklin Gill, 39, of 443 Poplar St., Lehigh Acres

Additionally, a North Fort Myers man was arrested in connection to communications that he allegedly had with a teen via the Internet and cell phone, which included sending the minor a nude photograph of himself.

Justin William Holesapple, 24, of 1085 Myakka Drive, was charged with obscene communication, use of a computer to solicit or lure a child.

The Innocent Images Task Force is comprised of special agents and detectives with the FBI, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Coral Police Department and Clewiston Police Department.