POLK COUNTY, FL. (THECOUNT) — Two Disney restaurant workers, an HIV positive man and a former military police officer are among multiple suspects arrested in an Polk County Sheriff’s Office online sex predator sting
PCSO undercover detectives conducted a 6-day investigation called “Operation Cyber Guardian Fall Haul” from Oct. 2 through Oct. 7.
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Detectives posed as girls and boys on social media platforms and online dating sites to investigate those who prey upon and travel to meet children for illegal sexual activity.
Detectives say the suspects communicated with and solicited people they thought were children between the ages of 13 and 14 for sex acts.
The suspects all showed up to a location in Polk County at separate times to meet who they thought were children. Many of the suspects had condoms and lubricant with them when they were greeted by detectives. source
Thirteen arrests were made. The suspects include:
A man who said he knew he was HIV positive and solicited a boy who he thought was 14 to engage in unprotected sex.
A former military police officer who had been previously arrested and convicted. He is on federal probation for lewd/lascivious molestation of a child.
A Lake Mary man who was arrested in Seminole County in November of 2017 for obscene communication with a minor.
A man who brought a new iPhone 8+ as a gift along with sex toys, condoms, lubricant, and male enhancement pills.
A cook at a Disney resort.
A food runner at a Disney restaurant.
Those arrested include men in their twenties, thirties and fifties. The men arrested were from Kissimmee, Montverde, Lake Mary, Davenport (2), Winter Haven, Orlando (6), and Holiday.
The 13 arrested face a total of 58 charges which include: attempted lewd lascivious molestation, using a communication device to commit a felony, attempted uninformed HIV infected sexual intercourse, traveling to meet a minor for the purposes of sex, attempted lewd battery, and transmitting material harmful to a minor.