WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A seven-day undercover operation targeting child predators and human trafficking resulted in 281 arrests, including a youth football coach, an active-duty Navy service member, a retired New York firefighter and 17 people with ties to Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando, authorities announced Friday.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the results of Operation Polk Around & Find Out II, a coordinated effort involving local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations.
The operation resulted in 488 new criminal charges, including 198 felonies. Those arrested had a combined 798 prior criminal charges, including 358 felonies, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
The operation consisted of two simultaneous undercover investigations. One targeted adults attempting to meet children for sex, resulting in 32 arrests. The second focused on human trafficking and resulted in another 249 arrests, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
In the human trafficking investigation, authorities identified 117 alleged sex buyers and 122 people arrested on prostitution-related charges, according to the news release.
Judd said the operation also identified 11 potential human trafficking victims through nonprofit partners. One More Child, an organization that assists trafficking survivors, said it engaged with 93 people during the operation, with 18 accepting services.
Disney, Universal employees among those arrested
The investigation also uncovered suspects with connections to some of Central Florida’s most recognizable employers.
Authorities arrested 17 theme park employees, including 13 associated with Disney and four with Universal.
“These are people that were face-to-face with our children in the different disciplines inside these two organizations,” Judd said during the news conference.
Judd also described one suspect as a former Disney character performer who allegedly brought two backpacks filled with diapers to an undercover encounter and made explicit statements about his intentions involving children.
“He may be the sickest, nastiest person we’ve ever arrested,” Judd said.
MORE: Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd reveals disturbing details about one of the suspects arrested in the massive undercover operation “Polk Around and Find Out.”
@PolkCoSheriff: “He may be the sickest, nastiest person we’ve ever arrested.”
The suspect, a former Disney character performer, allegedly arrived with two backpacks full of diapers and discussed disturbing intentions involving children.— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) October 30, 2026
Officials vow aggressive prosecutions
Authorities also reported that nine suspects were on probation for previous offenses, including bank robbery and cruelty to a child. Nine others had been arrested in previous Sheriff’s Office operations, including two in the first Polk Around & Find Out sting earlier this year.
More than two dozen of the suspects brought firearms to the operation, and 32 were charged with drug possession involving substances including methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl.
Uthmeier said his office would pursue additional charges when investigators uncover evidence of child sexual abuse material.
In one recent case he described, prosecutors filed more than 100 charges against a single defendant.
“It’s because I know that some judges want to go and cut the sentence in half or more,” Uthmeier said, explaining why prosecutors pursue multiple charges when the evidence supports them.
WATCH: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier says his office will pursue aggressive prosecutions against the child predators arrested in the massive undercover operation called “Polk Around and Find Out”
@AGJamesUthmeier: “We will throw the book at every one of these. We will keep them away for as long as possible.”— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) October 30, 2026
Uthmeier said Florida had more than doubled criminal prosecutions since he became attorney general in February 2025 and had increased penalties for child predators more than fourfold.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia also spoke at the news conference, saying his agency contributed 12 personnel to the operation. The Department of Financial Services has approximately 300 sworn law enforcement officers who primarily investigate financial crimes, but Ingoglia said he has expanded their involvement in broader public safety efforts.
He warned that child exploitation is not limited to isolated cases or unfamiliar faces.
“That means that a lot of this is going on in everyday communities, and you may not realize it,” Ingoglia said, referring to the number of arrests in a single county.
POLK AROUND AND FIND OUT: Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia warns that online predators targeting children are a growing problem, saying the 281 arrests in Polk County should serve as a wake-up call.
@GovGoneWild: “It means that a lot of this is going on in everyday communities, and you may not realize it.”
Ingoglia points to suspects in positions of trust, including a coach, and says predators deserve every minute of their prison sentences.— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) October 30, 2026
Suspects came from across the country and overseas
The investigation also involved federal immigration authorities. Officials said 32 people arrested were in the country unlawfully, including individuals from Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico and Haiti. Sixteen had been transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the time of the announcement.
An ICE representative said the agency had interviewed more than 65 foreign-born individuals and issued more than 30 immigration detainers.
Only 40 of the 281 people arrested were from Polk County, according to the sheriff’s office. The others came from throughout Florida, 20 other states and 18 countries.
The operation involved numerous law enforcement agencies, including the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Financial Services, local police departments, several Florida sheriff’s offices, the Florida Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Nonprofits work to support trafficking victims
Nonprofit One More Child and the Florida Department of Children and Families assisted with victim outreach and services.
Stacy Ham, a trafficking survivor who spoke at the event, emphasized that identifying potential victims is only the beginning of the work. Survivors often need safe housing, long-term support, and practical resources to rebuild their lives.
Judd urged parents to remain involved in their children’s online activity and to recognize the dangers posed by adults attempting to groom minors.
“We cannot prevent predators from reaching out to our children, but we can educate our children and be proactive in catching a predator before they are able to groom or violate our kids,” Judd said.
Authorities stressed that the arrests represent allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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