Florida

4 Disney Employees Among 108 Arrested in Florida Human Trafficking Bust

"Operation March Sadness 2" was a six-day undercover operation

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Four Disney employees were among more than 100 people arrested as part of a human trafficking operation in Florida, authorities said.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd on Wednesday announced the arrest of 108 people as part of "Operation March Sadness 2," a six-day undercover operation.

One of the Disney employees was a 27-year-old man who worked as a lifeguard at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, Judd said.

That man allegedly sent sexual images of himself and graphic sexual messages to an undercover detective who was posing online as a 14-year-old girl, Judd said.

Another Disney employee arrested was a 24-year-old man who worked at the Cosmic Restaurant. Other Disney employees arrested were a 45-year-old IT worker and a 27-year-old software developer, Judd said.

"Four arrests of this magnitude in a week is simply remarkable," Judd said at a news conference.

As part of the operation, detectives identified prostitutes who posted online advertisements as well as the "johns" who were seeking out the prostitutes online.

Detectives then sought to identify and free any victims who were being forced into prostitution or human trafficking, or anyone participating in the trafficking of victims, Judd said.

Detectives also identified and investigated adults who engaged in online sexual communications with those they believed were children, Judd said.

Undercover detectives communicated online with the suspects and arranged for a meetup at a location where they were arrested after their arrival, Judd said.

The oldest suspect arrested was a 67-year-old man who showed up drinking Ensure, Judd said. The youngest was 17.

One 66-year-old man told detectives he was a retired judge from the Chicago area.

A 42-year old man told detectives he is married with eight children, and had left one of his children at a soccer game taking place nearby in order to meet with a prostitute, Judd said.

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