HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A summer crackdown on human trafficking and online predators in Hillsborough County led to 116 arrests and the rescue of five human trafficking victims, officials announced Wednesday.
Operation Relentless Summer ran from June 8 through Aug. 5 and involved the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office human trafficking, internet predator, and sexual predator units.
Investigators used undercover online chats, residential and dark web search warrants, hotel and motel operations, “traveling to meet a minor” investigations, and sex offender checks.
Officials said three adult victims and two juveniles were rescued and connected with support services.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier praised the operation, saying his office is prosecuting more cases and handing down more sentences for crimes against children.
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“My number one priority is to protect our kids,” Uthmeier said. “We will stop at nothing to protect them and get these guys behind bars.”
Authorities highlighted several cases from the operation.
A summer crackdown on human trafficking and online predators in Hillsborough County led to 116 arrests and the rescue of five human trafficking victims, officials announced Wednesday. (WPEC)
Thirty-five-year-old Frank Amiekumo is accused of trafficking women and girls for sex across Florida, Louisiana, and Texas for about four years.
Investigators said Amiekumo recruited women to work at strip clubs, provided fake identification to underage girls, and forced women and girls into commercial sex acts. Authorities also accused him of using violence and threats to control victims.
Detectives arrested Amiekumo at Tampa International Airport before he could board a plane, officials said.
The investigation identified five victims — three adult women and two 16-year-old girls — who were rescued and connected with services.
Uthmeier said Amiekumo faces multiple charges, including human trafficking, racketeering-related charges, lewd or lascivious battery, prostitution-related offenses and witness tampering.
A summer crackdown on human trafficking and online predators in Hillsborough County led to 116 arrests and the rescue of five human trafficking victims, officials announced Wednesday. (WPEC)
Another case involved Eric Perez Perez, who was arrested after detectives searched his Tampa apartment in July following a report of child sexual abuse material being uploaded from the location.
Investigators said they found more than 100 files of child sexual abuse material on his cellphone, along with videos involving sexual activity with animals.
Authorities also said they found a mobile game downloaded from the dark web that was allegedly designed to teach users how to groom children for sexual abuse.
Perez Perez faces more than 100 charges, including possession of child pornography and charges related to sexual activity involving animals.
Officials said 11 of the 116 people arrested during the operation were in the country unlawfully.
The sheriff’s office said its human trafficking, internet predator, and sexual predator units operate year-round, even though this particular operation focused on the summer months.
Officials urged parents to know who their children are communicating with online and what websites and platforms they are using.
The sheriff’s office also emphasized that victims of human trafficking are not to blame and encouraged anyone being victimized to come forward.
