Navy Chief Becomes Seventh Person Arrested in Regional Child Predator Sting

A Navy chief petty officer stationed at Fort Gordon, Ga., has been arrested after investigators claim he repeatedly sent sexually explicit messages to an undercover officer he believed was a child.

Chief Petty Officer Norman Laureano Miranda, 37, was arrested Sept. 30 at Fort Gordon by investigators with the Grovetown Police Department, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, according to local authorities. He was booked into the Columbia County Detention Center.

Miranda faces charges of computer or electronic pornography and child exploitation prevention and grooming of a minor for sexual offense or trafficking for sexual servitude. He became the seventh person arrested in a regional child predator sting.

How Miranda Was Caught

Police allege that Miranda communicated over several days with an undercover investigator posing as a child as part of “Operation Fourth Take,” a joint investigation led by Grovetown police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Investigators allege Miranda described sexual acts he wanted to perform and continued the conversations despite being told multiple times that the person he was communicating with was a child. Authorities said he also attempted to arrange an in-person meeting.

The larger operation involved more than 1,400 online contacts, according to Grovetown police.

Investigators said more than 150 verified adults expressed interest in meeting minors for sexual activity, while 54 continued discussing plans to meet after being told they were communicating with a child. Six people initially traveled to predetermined locations and were arrested.

The Army Criminal Investigation Division was among the numerous agencies assisting with the broader operation. Miranda’s later arrest involved NCIS because of his Navy affiliation.

Miranda Once Lauded by DOD

Years before his arrest, Miranda was featured in an official Defense Department story about his family’s history of military service.

The 2021 profile identified him as Petty Officer 1st Class Norman G. Laureano-Miranda and said he joined the Navy at age 27, following his mother and sister into military service.

His mother served in the Puerto Rico Army National Guard, while his sister served in the Air Force.

Miranda told DOD that his family’s military history was one of the primary reasons he enlisted. He also described an ambitious goal for his Navy career: becoming the first Puerto Rican master chief petty officer of the Navy, the service’s highest enlisted position.

Miranda has since advanced to chief petty officer. An Air Force article from earlier in his career identified him as a cryptologic technician while attending a Navy intelligence course in 2019 at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas.

He received a letter of appreciation at graduation after completing 27 hours of volunteer work.

Operation Fourth Take remains under investigation. Grovetown police have said additional arrests are possible. Authorities identified 15 other people for further investigation following the initial operation.