Sex With Minors, Prostitution Sting Nets 39 Arrests

BARTOW, FL — A multi-day undercover operation conducted in Polk County has resulted in the arrest of 39 people on charges ranging from traveling to meet minors for sex to possession of child pornography. One of those arrested allegedly traveled from Orlando to Polk County believing he was going to meet up with a 10-year-old girl.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the operation ran May 15 through May 21 with its results announced on Tuesday. During the operation, undercover detectives from the sheriff’s office worked with investigators from other agencies to target “online child predators and online prostitution.” The week-long effort resulted in 19 arrests of men accused of traveling to meet minors for sex. One person was arrested for possession of child pornography. Another 19 people now face online prostitution-related charges.

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Agencies that took part in the operation came from all across the state. They included the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas and Hillsborough County sheriff’s offices and the Tampa, Largo and Sarasota police departments, among others.

“These predators are really out there, trying to violate children,” Sheriff Grade Judd said in a statement announcing the operation’s results. “All it takes is one glance at the conversations these predators have with our undercover detectives. They lurk in chat rooms, and online, ready to groom and violate your children. Fortunately, we’ve prevented at least 19 of them from doing so. The things that these predators say to children are vile, disgusting, and not fit for anyone except trained detectives to read. And even seasoned, trained detectives are repulsed.”

All told, the 39 people arrested face a total of 126 charges. Ninety-five of the charges are felonies while 31 are misdemeanors, the sheriff’s office said.

The arrestees facing traveling to meet minors for sex charges “solicited who they thought were children as young as 10 years old for sex acts; one suspect solicited who he thought was the father of a 13-year-old girl to have sex with her,” a media release from the agency said. A 19-year-old from Orlando is accused of reporting to an undercover location to have “sexual intercourse” with a girl he thought was only 10, the sheriff’s office said.

“He sent the ‘girl’ a nude photo of himself and pornographic videos,” the media release stated. “He told her he wanted to take her virginity.”

Of the 19 arrested on the traveling charges, deputies say six were from Polk County. Thirteen others drove from Orange, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and as far away as Duval County, authorities say. Eleven of the suspects “either brought condoms or told the undercover detectives they were bringing condoms.”

“These predators need to be locked up, and stay locked up and away from children,” Judd said.

For a complete listing of those arrested and the charges they face, visit the Polk County Sheriff’s Office online.

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