Former PGA golfer arrested in underage sex sting

Steve Thomas hits his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the AT&T Champions Classic on March 15, 2009 at Valencia Country Club in Valencia, California. / Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - A former PGA golfer is among 40 suspects arrested in central Florida as part of an underage sex sting operation.

Osceola County Sheriff's detectives said Tuesday that pro golfer Steve Thomas was charged with traveling to seduce an underage girl and using a computer to entice a legal guardian or parent to commit sex acts on an underage girl.

There was no telephone listing for Thomas at the Meridian, Miss., address he gave detectives and he couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

Thomas played one season on the PGA Tour, had one top-10 finish and won $25,781. He last played on the Champions Tour, the PGA's senior circuit, in 2010.

Also arrested during the weeklong sex sting operation were a Gainesville swim instructor, an eighth-grade teacher and eight college students.

[Gallowsman]

What is really disturbing about all these stings. One would think they would be filled with Former Sex Offenders, people already caught and convicted and on the Sex Offender Registry...but...in all the stings that happen like this one, NOT ONE OF THOSE CAUGHT HAS ANY PREVIOUS HISTORY OF ARREST OR CONVICTION FOR A SEX CRIME! Like here it is everyone but Former Sex Offenders. It is everyone from Police Officers and Politians to High School and College Students. That's right, those being caught and arrested in these stings are not Former Sex Offenders. Why you might ask? Well according to all the evidence and studies out there Former Sex Offenders who are caught and convicted are considered THE LEAST LIKELY TO REOFFEND BY COMMITTING ANOTHER SEX CRIME! Most most all professional in the mental health, correctional system, Human Resources and other Public Safety Positions ALL agree, Former Sex Offenders are NOT who is a danger to you or your family. The most dangerous person's picture is not on the Registry but most likely in photos in your family album. Check out SOSEN if you are interested in facts not myths.

[Dgunner]

Grandmother how come grandpa can't come over to my house to play?How would you like to be the one who has to answer that question?

[freeamerica31]

Pedophiles come in all shape, sizes, and professions.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

Men and women who want to have sex with minors should all serve mandatory 10-year or better sentences when convicted.

This probation crap that is often handed out is no deterrant.

[bundye]

Oh, is this another Tiger Woods scandal????Oh my, now we see others don't have scrupples either...how much talk will this get?

[gbgentleman]

Tiger didn't break any laws and the women were legal. These people on the other hand...

[alanpowell53]

Not one of these men were listed on any state sex offender web site. If you were relying on the government to protect your children by those registries, you would have missed every on of them. Watch your children and no one gets by you.

[jtm1461]

I've known this guy for 20 plus years. I was his caddie a year ago on tour, I wonder what the heck happened for him to turn to this? Maybe I didn't know him as well as I thought I did. He is sick he needs help and I hope he gets it.

[mjlewis6]

Entrapment, plain and simple.

If you want to catch burglars or bank robbers, they could do the same thing in order to fill up prisons for Private contractor prison systems. Lots of unemployed to choose from, too.

As for sex, all the serious enterprise of the state could be had by merely intercepting all those sex texts in and around public schools or using the school nurse to ferret out sexually active teens to insure the purity of future taxpayers for procreation of future citizens of the Homeland Security State. Great state of affairs, ain't it?

Seriously, can we get government out of the sex business? Bait and switch is a usual practice of business offering only ONE item on sale in order to get lots of traffic for other products. The State here is offering something illegal and prosecuting as if they SOLVED a crime. In Dallas, the DPD has yet to solve WHO stole informant funds kept in a locked safe inside DPD. We have had two Police Chiefs run the department over the last several years...and still no progress.

[culturechang]

Yep. The non-sex crimes dont get headlines. The sex crimes do. This is why Ron Paul said the media was "sex-obessed".

[gbgentleman]

And if these same people go after a REAL 14 year old who doesn't know better? Do we really want to wait for these people to rape (and sex with an underaged girl/boy IS RAPE) a child?

[culturechang]

There were no victims in this deal, but that wont matter in today's War on Sex.

[nineknot]

Well, he saw grass on that field and wanted to play through...