A sex sting operation in Florida resulted in 160 arrests during a week-long human trafficking operation, including a Georgia deputy police chief, a correctional officer, two high school teachers, and a Disney employee.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced during a press conference Friday that the seven-day undercover operation, “Operation Fall Haul 2,” uncovered two trafficking victims. It also identified another five possible victims during the operation that began on Aug. 30.
According to the sheriff’s office, those who traveled to engage in prostitution were screened by detectives and social services organizations to determine if they were being trafficked or exploited by others. A follow-up will be conducted with those victims who are suspected to be sex trafficked or exploited.
“The online prostitution industry enables traffickers and allows for the continued victimization of those who are being trafficked,” Sheriff Grady Judd said at a news conference. “Our goal is to identify victims, offer them help, and arrest those who are fueling the exploitation of human beings (Johns) and those profiting from the exploitation of human beings.”
“Prostitution is not a victimless crime,” Judd added. “It results in exploitation, disease, dysfunction, drug and alcohol addiction, violence, and broken families.”
According to the sheriff’s office:
- Detectives charged those arrested with a total of 52 felonies and 216 misdemeanors.
- The criminal histories of everyone arrested included 419 previous felonies and 619 previous misdemeanors. Some of the prior histories include charges for kidnapping, robbery, aggravated battery, and sex offenses.
- 15 of the arrested were from other states and one was from Puerto Rico (Georgia, Michigan, New York, California, Mississippi, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Arizona)
- 16 suspects live in Polk County.
- 7 of the arrested are suspected of being in the country illegally.
Cartersville, GA Deputy Chief Arrested, Resigns
Among the notable arrests in the sting operation was 49-year-old Jason DiPrima of Kingston, Georgia. Prior to his arrest, he was the deputy chief of administration for the Cartersville Police Department in Cartersville, Georgia. He was arrested for trying to have sex with an undercover detective, the sheriff’s office said.
Judd told the assembled reporters that DiPrima is “no longer a police officer.” DiPrima resigned from his position with the Cartersville Police Department on Thursday before the press conference.
Keith Nieves, 24, of Orlando, was arrested for two counts of Soliciting a Prostitute (M1). He agreed to have unprotected sex with two undercover detectives. At the time of his arrest, he was employed as a correctional officer at Lake County Correctional Institution, the sheriff’s office said.
Carlos Gonzalez of Davenport was also arrested for two counts of Soliciting a Prostitute (M1). He responded to an online escort advertisement and agreed to have sex with two undercover detectives, according to the sheriff’s office. He was employed as a math teacher at New Dimensions High School in Osceola County.
The other teacher, John Layton, 26, of Gotha, worked as a physical education teacher at West Orange High School in Orange County. He was wearing a school track and field shirt when he arrived at the undisclosed location, agreeing to pay $40 for a sex act, the sheriff’s office said.
Judd told the press conference, “Now where would we be with an undercover operation and no Disney employees? Oh, yes. We always have Disney employees.”
Guillermo Perez, 57, of Winter Garden was also arrested for Soliciting a Prostitute (M2). He agreed to pay $80 for a quick visit to have sex with an undercover detective, the sheriff’s office said. Perez is employed as a bellhop at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
The sheriff’s office was assisted in the operation by police departments from Winter Haven, Haines City, Lake Wales, Davenport, and Bartow, as well as the Office of the State Attorney 10th Judicial Circuit, State Attorney Brian Haas.
In addition, members from the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), and social services organizations: One More Child, Heartland for Children, My Name My Voice, Selah Freedom, and the Children’s Home Society of Florida provided on-site services to the identified or potential trafficking victims.
Watch Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd’s press conference on Operation Fall Haul 2 below.
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