Absconded sexual offender from Dixie County, FL to Levy County, FL arrested in DeSoto County, FL

Levy County Sheriff's Office (LCSO), Bronson, Florida, July 16, 2025

LCSO's 'Operation Summer Sweep'

Another sexual offender - 47 year-old Charles Elias Hengsteler, Jr. - has been arrested as the result of Operation Summer Sweep, an operation conducted by detectives and school resource deputies with the Levy County Sheriff's Office (LCSO).

Operation Summer Sweep began in June, 2025, to ensure that sexual offenders and sexual predators within Levy County, Florida were compliant in registering their personal information with law enforcement.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement requires that sexual offenders and predators in Florida must report their personal information to law enforcement within 48 hours of relocating, and provide proof of the new address or other changes, such as a change of employment, internet address or telephone, or a different vehicle, etc. Sexual predators living within Levy County, Florida are required to report their address and other personal information to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office.

During a compliance check for sexual offender Charles Elias Hengsteler, Jr., officials learned that Hengsteler had failed to report his new address when he vacated his primary residence in Dixie County, Florida in January 2024 and relocated to a new address within Levy County, Florida.

On June 10, 2025 LCSO Detective Ryan Sullivan obtained an arrest warrant for Hengsteler for three sex offender violations. Detective Sullivan learned, that during his investigation, Hengsteler had relocated from Levy County, Florida to DeSoto County, Florida without notifying the Levy County Sheriff’s Office or the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office of his new address.

On July 14, 2025, detectives and deputies with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office located and arrested Hengsteler on the Levy County, Florida arrest warrant. He was additionally charged with DeSoto County, Florida sexual offender registration violations. Hengsteler is being held at the DeSoto County Jail in Arcadia, Florida on six sexual offender registration charges: failure to register as required ($2,500 bond), failure to report to the driver license office a change of name (no bond), failure to report changes of employment information (no bond), failure to register changes of cell phone or telephone number (no bond), failure to report change of vehicle owned (no bond), and failure to provide personal information as required (no bond). On August 18, 2025, Hengsteler is scheduled to appear in Florida's Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court on the charges

"The Levy County Sheriff’s Office works cooperatively with other law enforcement agencies to track down and arrest absconded offenders," said LCSO Lieutenant Scott Tummond. "The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office arrest of Hengsteler, and removal of this dangerous individual from our communities, is proof of our commitment to the protection of our citizens statewide.