281 Arrested in Polk County Undercover Operation Targeting Child Predators and Trafficking, Sheriff's Office Says

The Polk County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday, October 30, the results of a seven-day undercover operation targeting child predators and human trafficking in Central Florida. The operation, called "Polk Around and Find Out II," involved multiple local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies and produced 281 arrests and 488 criminal charges — 198 felonies and 290 misdemeanors, according to the sheriff's office.

Of the 281 arrests, 31 were connected to the child-predator investigation, 239 involved prostitution-related offenses and 11 were classified as other arrests, investigators said. Seventeen of those arrested reported working at local theme parks or resorts, including Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, and seven of those were arrested as part of the child-predator investigation. According to FOX 13 Tampa Bay reporting cited in the coverage read this run, Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have terminated employees arrested in connection with the operation. Investigators also identified 11 potential human-trafficking victims, who were offered assistance through social-service organizations.

The sheriff's office said the assisting agencies included the Florida Attorney General's Office and the Department of Homeland Security, alongside several Central Florida law-enforcement departments. All of the charges are allegations: every person arrested is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court, and the cases will move through the courts on their own records.