This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

SARASOTA, Fla. – A Florida father sought by police after a pawn shop owner notified authorities of a man trying to sell a baby now says he did it as a social media prank.

Police began searching for the man after they were notified Tuesday by an employee of A&F Pawn Jewelry and Loan who was concerned for the child’s welfare.

Surveillance video shows the man walk into the store and place a child carrier on the glass counter.

“This is what I got,” he says in the Snapchat video, according to WFLA. “I know no one under 18 in here but he’s barely used, seven and a half months old, what do you think he’s worth?”

The exchange alarmed the employee enough that he called police, sparking a manhunt that involved several law enforcement divisions. Detectives also notified the Florida Department of Children and Family Services.

The man in the video, 43-year-old Brian Slocum, of Sarasota, saw himself on the news and called the Sarasota Police Dept. to give a statement.

“They didn’t find it funny or hilarious at all and there was a lot of resources and time and money that went into it,” Slocum told WFLA.

Slocum, who has not been charged with a crime, said he regrets the poor prank and is speaking out to warn others of the potential consequences.

“There’s nothing in the world I would trade for my son, he’s my world,” Slocum said.