Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd just wrapped up one of the biggest undercover stings in the county’s history, and the list of people who walked into handcuffs instead of a good time reads like a very bad casting call. Operation Polk Around & Find Out II ran for seven days, ran two simultaneous undercover investigations, and ended with 281 arrests and 488 new criminal charges, including 198 felonies.
The first part of the sting went after adults trying to travel and meet minors for sexual activity, landing 32 arrests. The second part hit human trafficking networks and scooped up 249 more people, including 117 accused sex buyers and 122 individuals accused of prostitution. Detectives also seized 24 firearms and filed drug charges against 32 suspects for meth, cocaine, and fentanyl. Because apparently some people like to multitask.
Among the arrested were 17 theme park employees from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, including seven accused child sex predators. Sheriff Judd confirmed Polk County human trafficking arrests that both Disney and Universal fired the workers who got booked. Also arrested was Orange County school resource deputy Eric Raymond, who showed up to negotiate sex for money. A children’s football and cheerleading coach was also among the predators caught in the sweep.
One man who claimed he formerly played Mickey Mouse at Disney World arrived with two backpacks stuffed with diapers. Judd, who has never met a press conference he couldn’t own, quoted the man telling detectives, “I like to be kinky and naughty, and we can be kinky and naughty together.” That quote will follow that guy for the rest of his life, and frankly it should.
Judd also described a 54-year-old woman who showed up to offer sex for $300 an hour, and her adult son drove her there. Both got arrested. The sheriff, with his trademark deadpan, asked the crowd, “What do you do when you drive your mom to a house to have sex? Do you say, ‘Go mom! Make it quick. Get a tip. Make it quick, we got another stop to make.'” The man deserves a talk show.
Attorney General James Uthmeier put it plainly. Those who came to Polk County expecting to sexually abuse a child found cuffs instead,” he said. “These 280-plus deviants thought they were going to find a victim… they found handcuffs, they found a detective on the other side, they found the back, cold, dark corner of a jail cell.” Uthmeier’s office noted that more than 2,300 child predators have been arrested statewide since February 2025.
The suspects came from across Florida, 20 other states, and 18 foreign countries. Thirty-two are undocumented immigrants from nine nations including Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, and Haiti, and ICE has already taken custody of 16 of them. Twenty-two suspects collectively pull in $100,476 a year in public assistance, which is a fun fact to share with anyone who still thinks the welfare system has no fraud problem. Eleven actual human trafficking victims were identified during the operation and connected with crisis resources and care.
Prosecutors have promised to seek maximum penalties. Traveling to meet a minor for unlawful sexual activity is a second-degree felony in Florida carrying up to 15 years in state prison. Sheriff Judd summed it up best: “When you go online seeking the services of a prostitute or wanting to attack our children, we are going to be there.” Operation Polk Around & Find Out II delivered exactly what the name promised, and something tells us Round III is already being planned.
