Florida child sex sting operation ensnares 17 theme park workers, including Disney and Universal

An undercover sting operation targeting adults looking to meet children for sex resulted in over 280 arrests — including 17 people who work at Florida theme parks, including Disney and Universal. The seven-day operation, dubbed “Polk Around & Find Out II,” was led by officials in Polk County, Florida, and targeted people accused of traveling to meet children for unlawful sexual activity and commercial sex activity, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities arrested 281 people with 488 charges, including 198 felonies. Those arrested had a combined 798 prior criminal charges. Authorities also said that 24 suspects had firearms and 32 were charged with drug possession.“Those who came to Polk County expecting to sexually abuse a child found cuffs instead,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said during a news conference on Friday. Seventeen of those arrested worked at Florida theme parks, the sheriff’s office said, according to WWSB. Officials in Polk County, Florida, announced the arrest of 281 people accused of traveling to meet children for unlawful sexual activity and commercial sex activity (Polk County Sheriff's Office)Disney told investigators it had fired employees connected to the arrests, according to the report. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Friday he had not yet received an update from Universal about the employment status of its workers who were arrested, according to the report. Authorities said 40 of the people arrested live in Polk County, while the rest came from Florida, as well as 20 other states and 18 countries. Authorities said that traveling to meet a minor for unlawful sexual activity is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. Those arrested also include 32 immigrants in the country illegally from countries including Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico and Haiti. Sixteen have been turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Judd said investigators are reviewing whether any additional children may have been victimized in connection with one of the people arrested, who authorities said was a youth football coach. Their investigation is ongoing.