News and Investigations

During a multi-day-long joint-agency undercover human trafficking and child predator operation, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office made 266 arrests involved in child predators, illegal acts related to soliciting prostitutes, offering to commit prostitution, aiding/abetting or transporting prostitutes, and other charges.

Nineteen (19) suspects were arrested for a multitude of felonies related to traveling to meet a minor for sex and other similar crimes (read that release: https://tinyurl.com/ys5scj4u).

The portion of the investigation focusing on illegal acts related to prostitution and human trafficking resulted in 247 arrests. 

PCSO detectives were joined by investigators from the Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; Attorney General James Uthmeier Office of Statewide Prosecution; Florida Department of Financial Services; State Attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit Brian Haas; Auburndale PD; Bartow PD; Davenport PD; Hardee County Sheriff’s Office; Highlands County Sheriff’s Office; Lake County Sheriff’s Office; and the San Francisco Police Department, during the prostitution and human trafficking-related portion of the investigation.

Members from the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), and social services organizations One More Child, Heartland for Children, and the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking, were also embedded with detectives and investigators during the entirety of the investigation. 

The 127 suspects who travelled to commit prostitution were screened by detectives and the social services organizations to determine if they were being trafficked or exploited by others, and were offered services by the social services organizations at the operation. During this investigation, seven (7) possible human trafficking victims were identified.

There were 108 suspects arrested for soliciting a prostitute and traveling to the undercover location to negotiate having sex in exchange for money. Twelve (12) other suspects were arrested for aiding/abetting, transporting, or deriving proceeds from prostitutes.

OVERALL STATS during Polk Around and Find Out: 

• Detectives charged a total of 439 charges: 298 felonies, 141 misdemeanors. 
• The suspects' prior criminal histories included a combined total of 1028 charges: 400 felonies, 519 misdemeanors

Some interesting notes from the operation: 

• 34 are here illegally (from 10 different countries: Cuba, El Salvador, Argentina, Russia, Mexico, India, Venezuela, Haiti, Italy, France, Bahama, Honduras, Bolivia, Romania, Colombia, Jamaica, Ecuador, Canada) 
• 167 are from outside Polk County, from 11 different states and Puerto Rico, and 18 different countries.
• 22 said they were receiving government assistance (total of $15,188 per month)
• The youngest suspect is 18; the oldest is 68 years old.
• 4 firearms were brought to the location by different suspects
• 21 people were charged with possession of narcotics

One suspect was arrested and charged with offering to commit prostitution. After she was released from jail on bond, she continued to advertise her services, traveled to an undercover location, and was arrested again. Two suspects (men) brought children to the undercover location after agreeing to pay an undercover detective posing as a prostitute, for sex. They were both charged with child neglect.