Polk County Sheriff's Office conducts joint undercover operation resulting in 281 arrests targeting human trafficking and child predators

The multi-agency sweep removed 281 individuals from local communities on charges involving human trafficking, child exploitation, and prostitution, while connecting 11 identified victims to support services.

• •A seven-day undercover operation named 'Polk Around and Find Out II' resulted in 281 total arrests.
• •31 arrests involved suspected child sexual predators communicating online and attempting to meet individuals they believed were children or guardians.
• •17 of the child predator suspects worked at local theme parks or resorts, including Disney World and Universal Studios.
• •One arrested suspect was a head coach for a youth football and cheerleading program in Davenport.
• •A 24-year-old former Disney World character performer from Clermont was arrested after arranging a meeting with an undercover detective posing as a 13-year-old boy's guardian.
• •239 arrests were connected to prostitution-related offenses.
• •Eric Raymond, an Orange County deputy sheriff and school resource deputy at Independence Elementary School, was among those arrested for agreeing to pay for sex via an online ad.
• •Investigators identified 11 human trafficking victims during the operation.
• •Stacie Ham, an anti-trafficking supervisor and trafficking survivor with the nonprofit One More Child, embedded with detectives to assist victims.
• •The operation was a joint effort involving local, state, and federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and the Florida Attorney General's Office.