Florida authorities arrested 281 people during a seven-day operation targeting child sex crimes and human trafficking. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the results of the operation, “Polk Around and Find Out II,” on Friday. The people arrested face a total of 488 charges, including 198 for serious offenses.
In the first part of the operation, which targeted adults suspected of trying to contact minors in order to sexually exploit them, 32 people were arrested. The vast majority of arrests, 249, involved suspects in prostitution-related offenses, including paying for sex.
According to information provided by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 40 of those arrested lived in the county. The rest came from other parts of Florida, 20 U.S. states and 18 countries. The suspects included 17 theme park employees, though authorities did not say which specific venues employed them. Nine people were on probation for earlier offenses, including robbery and child abuse. Another nine already appeared in records from the sheriff’s office’s earlier operations, and two had been arrested during the first edition of “Polk Around and Find Out.”
The suspects were carrying a total of 24 weapons. Thirty-two people were charged with drug possession, including methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl. Those arrested also included 32 people in the United States illegally, from countries including Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico and Haiti. Sixteen of them have already been turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“I ask parents to get involved in their children’s lives and monitor their online activity,” Sheriff Grady Judd said as he summed up the operation. He added that educating children and responding quickly to suspicious contacts can help prevent sexual exploitation.
In Florida, even traveling for the purpose of having sex with a minor carries a severe penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
Ed. JŁ
Source: Słoneczne Radio
