A seven-day undercover anti-human trafficking sting in Florida’s Polk County dubbed “Fall Haul 2” resulted in 160 people arrested.
“The online prostitution industry enables traffickers and allows for the continued victimization of those who are being trafficked,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
“The online prostitution industry enables traffickers and allows for the continued victimization of those who are being trafficked,” Judd said, according to the release.
“Our goal is to identify victims, offer them help, and arrest those who are fueling the exploitation of human beings (Johns) and those profiting from the exploitation of human beings. Prostitution is not a victimless crime – it results in exploitation, disease, dysfunction, drug and alcohol addiction, violence, and broken families.”
In the release, the sheriff’s office said law enforcement agencies in the operation identified two victims of trafficking and five additional possible victims.
The release noted that several of those arrested were teachers, and two had Disney connections.
Guillermo Perez of Winter Garden, Florida, works as a bellhop at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, according to the release. Samy Claude of Orlanda described as a self-employed photographer, is often hired by Disney, according to the release.
Both men were charged with soliciting a prostitute online.
Several men arrested had connections to schools.
Should there be more thorough background checks for people who work closely with children?
Cameron Burke of Ocoee was also among those arrested. He had a previous arrest from the days when he was a computer technician Oak Ridge High School and was accused of having sex with a 15-year-old high school student. A math teacher at New Dimensions High School in Osceola County, Carlos Gonzales, of Davenport, Florida, was also arrested. Both he and Ocoee were charged with soliciting a prostitute.
John Layton of Gotha, a coach for the West Orange High School in Orange County, was arrested on the same charge.
The release also listed two men with law enforcement connections.
Keith Nieves of Orlando is a correctional officer at Lake County Correctional Institution who was arrested on a charge of soliciting a prostitute.
“He’s in the jail as a jail bird like the jail bird he watches,” Judd said, according to WFLA-TV.
Jason DiPrima, 49, of Kingston, Georgia, who was the deputy chief of administration for the Cartersville Police Department in Georgia was also arrested and charged with soliciting a prostitute.
“Birds of a feather flock together,” said Judd of the law-enforcement officers, according to WFTS-TV.
Judd said DiPrima has since resigned.
“He did a mean, nasty thing to his family,” Judd said, according to WFLA-TV.
Overall, 26 of those arrested told police they were married, 15 were from out of state and only 16 were from Polk County. Ages of those arrested ranged from 19 to 64, according to the release.
