281 arrested in Polk County sting, 198 face felony charges
A seven-day undercover operation targeting commercial sex and child predation resulted in 488 new charges, with 17 theme park workers among those detained.
By Daniel Bernard ·
Florida law enforcement agencies announced the completion of a seven-day undercover initiative that resulted in 281 arrests and 488 new criminal charges. The operation, designated as Polk Around & Find Out II, concluded this week with 198 of the new charges classified as felonies. Investigators focused on individuals accused of traveling to the region for commercial sex or to meet children for unlawful sexual activity.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier addressed the public on Friday regarding the outcomes of the sting. He stated that suspects arriving in Polk County with the intent to sexually abuse a child were met with arrest. The combined prior criminal records for the 281 arrested individuals totaled 798 charges. Additionally, authorities recovered firearms from 24 suspects and charged 32 people with drug possession.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office identified 17 of the arrested individuals as current or former employees of theme parks. Sheriff Grady Judd confirmed that Disney informed investigators it had terminated employees connected to the arrests. Judd noted that Universal has not yet provided an update on the employment status of its workers included in the group.
Residency data indicates that 40 of the suspects lived within Polk County. The remaining individuals traveled from other parts of Florida, 20 other U.S. states, and 18 foreign countries. Immigration officials reported that 32 arrested persons were in the country without legal status, and 16 have been transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. An ICE representative stated the agency interviewed more than 65 foreign-born individuals and placed detainers on over 30 people identified as removable.
The nonprofit One More Child assisted law enforcement during the investigation. The organization reported engaging with 93 individuals, with 18 agreeing to receive services. Officials identified 11 people believed to be victims of human trafficking. Sine Dressler, the senior director of anti-trafficking operations for One More Child, remarked that accepting help requires trust and that many people feel afraid or unsure about taking that step.
Investigators continue to review potential additional victims connected to one of the arrested suspects, a youth football coach. The police agency said the investigation remains open as they assess the scope of the crimes uncovered during the operation.
Source: KTVK
