Gainesville Man Transferred from Alachua to Leon County Jail for Online Child Solicitation, Released on Bond
On March 3, Steve Alex Monsanto, 25, was booked into the Alachua County Jail on child sexual abuse charges out of Tallahassee, Leon County.
Within a week, Monsanto was transferred to the Leon County Jail and released on a $20,000 bond with conditions to not contact minors without supervision and to not use the internet except for job purposes. He also must abstain from alcohol and refrain from any more criminal activity.
In November 2025, the Tallahassee Police Special Victims Unit initiated an undercover operation focused on identifying criminals using the internet to sexually abuse children, court records show. They began speaking with Monsanto on November 20.
During the operation, Ofc. Scrualli played the part of a child to catch predators before they could hurt a real child. Monsanto engaged in a deplorable conversation with who he thought was a 15-year-old girl identified in the report as “UC.”
Phone subscriber information showed Monsanto was residing in Gainesville when he committed the offense.
According to the report, prior to disclosing her age, UC told Monsanto her “mom was gone for the weekend.” Monsanto said they “could cuddle and go from there” before asking UC if she “has had sex before and if she was into anal.” Monsanto told UC that he wanted to “fuck her” but that they could “go with the flow.”
After this, UC told Monsanto that she was 15 but he did not disengage, instead asking for a picture. Monsanto continued expressing interest, asking UC for her address.
UC and Monsanto went on to have a phone conversation where he “asked if it was a trap.”
Monsanto became adamant about facetiming with UC and continued asking for an address. UC gave him a general area and Monsanto said he didn’t want to drive two hours without an address because it didn’t make sense to him, however, he affirmed he would come the following day.
The report states, “[Monsanto] asked UC if she wanted to see ‘it’ because he was crazy horny and asked if UC sent nudes. UC said if you want and said she didn't really send them. [Monsanto] requested a picture of UC facing a mirror with her legs open with no panties on and sent a picture of his penis to UC. UC did not send any pictures back and said she would text him the next day.”
On November 22, UC messaged Monsanto and he told her it would be awhile before he got there and to let him know when to start driving, however, he did not like her not providing an address and then said he wouldn’t come. UC said okay and told Monsanto she was going to hang out with her friend who is also 15.
Monsanto was hesitant because UC would not facetime and asked her for another nude photo. Monsanto eventually said he was in his car but would not come without a nude photo. However, he initiated a conversation with UC about getting a hotel room next time she was alone.
There aren’t any court dates scheduled right now.
