A scary incident where the police managed to bust a child predator group under a sting operation has left the public worried about the safety of their kids. According to police, among 17 suspects arrested, one is a registered nurse, while all others are Disney World employees. Police also suspect that two members of the predator group are military veterans.
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A number of Disney World employees have been arrested by the police during an undercover child predator operation in Florida, authorities said.
According to official reports, authorities posed as youngsters on social media and online dating sites as part of their sting operation, "Operation Child Protector," which targeted people who prey upon and travel to meet children for unlawful sexual activity, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Tuesday, August 3.
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Detectives from the Auburndale Police Department, Orlando Police Department, Winter Haven Police Department, and Orange County Sheriff’s Office actively took part in the operation which led to 17 suspects being arrested and 49 felony charges.
Polk County Sheriff's Office
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As per police reports, the suspected employees actively engaged with detectives who were posing as 13 and 14 years old.
When the suspects went to meet up with the teens to engage in sex acts, they were taken into custody, officials said.
The youngest suspect arrested was 26, and the two oldest suspects were 47, NBC Miami reports.
Polk County Sheriff's Office
The Polk County Sheriff's Office announced the arrests of 17 people as part of Operation: Child Predator, on Tuesday, August 3.
The operation happened between July and August and the arrests happened with the help of several other law enforcement agencies.
Polk County Sheriff's Office
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"These are nasty, nasty people," said Polk Sheriff Grady Judd, per Fox 13.
"We can't even use the words that they used. We obviously can’t show the pictures and video clips that they sent to what they thought were 13-year-old little girls and little boys."
Polk County Sheriff's Office
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Deputies reported that all the suspects communicated with the detectives who they believed were between the ages of 13 and 14 and solicited sex acts.
Investigators said the suspects all showed up at an undercover location at different times to meet the "children," and a few of the suspects also sent pornographic images.
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The arrested group is now facing a combined 49 felony charges and two misdemeanor charges.
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Police officials said that among the arrested employees, one person is a registered nurse while others are Disney World's employees. Investigators also stated that they suspect that two of the suspects reported are army veterans.
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Deputies said one of the Disney World employees told investigators that he worked as a lifeguard at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
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Police say that when they reached the undercover location, he was still wearing his Disney polo shirt, swimming trunks, and Crocs. He also told detectives he is a Navy veteran and has a pregnant girlfriend.
"He left his girlfriend who was 7 months pregnant with his child in order to have sex with a 13-year-old," Judd said during Tuesday's press conference.