A police operation against child sexual exploitation and human trafficking ended with 281 arrests in Florida, United States. Among those detained are 17 theme park employees from the Orlando area, 13 from Disney and four from Universal Studios.
The operation, conducted over seven days, had its results released on Friday (the 30th). According to authorities, investigators identified suspects who sought sexual encounters with minors, as well as people involved in prostitution and possible human trafficking schemes.
In total, 488 criminal charges were filed, of which 198 are classified as felonies under American law.
According to the NBC network, 32 arrests occurred in the portion of the operation focused on suspects attempting to engage in sexual relations with minors. Another 249 were carried out during actions related to prostitution and human trafficking.
Staff had access to children
The presence of park workers drew investigators’ attention due to the possibility of frequent contact with children and adolescents. According to the agency responsible for the operation, seven of the 17 detained employees are suspected of crimes related to child sexual exploitation.
In one case, a Disney employee was arrested after appearing at an online-arranged meeting with someone who believed they were a 13-year-old boy. In reality, he was speaking with an undercover police officer.
Another suspect, who claimed to have worked as the interpreter for the Mickey Mouse character, was found with two backpacks containing diapers. Police said the material was related to sexual practices described by the suspect himself.
Among the highlights is also the arrest of a coach for the Davenport Titans, a youth American football team. The man, responsible for activities with children aged 11 to 14, is alleged to have arranged a meeting with an alleged 14-year-old girl.
Other detainees include an active-duty United States Navy service member and a police officer tied to Orange County.
Disney cooperated with the investigations and informed authorities that it terminated the involved employees. Universal was also cited as a collaborator in the operation, although the contractual status of its workers was not fully clarified by authorities.
Possible victims of human trafficking
In addition to the arrests, investigators located 11 individuals identified as potential victims of human trafficking, who received assistance from social services teams.
Part of the operation involved people who offered sexual services and were subjected to interviews to identify situations of exploitation or coercion.
The investigation also resulted in the seizure of weapons and drugs. According to authorities, 24 suspects were armed and 32 were charged with possession of narcotics, including cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Other nine detainees were already on probation for previous crimes.
Among those arrested, 32 were identified by authorities as immigrants without regular migratory status. Of this group, 16 were referred to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
