Almost 150 Arrests Made In Florida Human Trafficking Sting Operation

Florida authorities announced the arrest of 148 individuals and the rescue of seven alleged victims following a large-scale human trafficking sting named “Operation Summer Shield.”

The operation lasted 102 days and was a success from the beginning, according to the sheriff, who said law enforcement broke arrest records in the first two days.

Explaining the thinking behind the operation, Sheriff Chad Chronister of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said during a press conference, “We knew that as we approached the summer months, we wanted to do more. We knew children are out of school, they have more free time, they’re gonna be spending more time on the internet.”

He added that the goal was to be proactive in tackling human trafficking.

The operation culminated in 148 arrests on various charges, including 11 individuals charged specifically with human trafficking. Among the alleged victims were two 17-year-old girls.

During the press conference, Chronister highlighted four specific arrests, describing them as involving “more egregious offenders.”

One of the suspects who was apprehended is accused of sending explicit messages to what he believed was a 15-year-old girl who was actually an undercover detective, according to Chronister.

Another arrest involved an individual who was on probation and is also accused of engaging in online communication with an undercover detective. Chronister said the suspect was “so confident that he met with our undercover detective for more than an hour, and our human trafficking squad closed the deal with a solid arrest and a RICO charge, amongst others.”

A third suspect has been arrested and accused of coercing a 17-year-old girl into sex work. He is accused of posting explicit images of the girl on adult websites, arranging meetings, and collecting the money she earned, the sheriff’s department says.

Chronister said this went on for about three months before law enforcement intervened following a tip. The man was subsequently taken into custody under a federal arrest warrant and is being charged with sex trafficking of a child and faces life in prison, according to the sheriff.

Chronister said it is worrying to see how “productive and fruitful” the operation was. The sheriff established the Human Trafficking Squad in 2021 and has made 793 arrests since then.

In a Facebook post attached to footage of the press conference, the sheriff’s office wrote, “We will not rest until every victim is safe and every trafficker is behind bars. Let me be clear: traffickers, your days of exploiting innocent people are over in Hillsborough County.”

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