Grady Judd: 255 suspects, including 36 illegal immigrants, busted in operation ‘Fool Around and Find Out’

Hundreds arrested in human trafficking operation

Carla Bayron reports.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - More than 250 suspects were arrested during a nine-day, multi-agency undercover investigation in Polk County.

Operation ‘Fool Around and Find Out’ focused on human trafficking, child predators and illegal immigration.

By the numbers:

Of the 255 suspects arrested, investigators say 141 suspects were charged with soliciting prostitutes; 93 suspects were charged with offering to commit prostitution; 10 other suspects were charged with crimes related to prostitution, such as aiding/abetting a prostitute or transporting a prostitute; and 11 suspects were arrested for traveling to meet a minor for sex or other child-sex-related crimes.

Detectives charged a total of 102 felonies and 284 misdemeanors during the investigation. The suspects' prior criminal histories included a combined total of 400 felonies and 519 misdemeanors, with charges such as premeditated murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, aggravated battery, and sexual assault.

"About 15% of all of our arrests in the human trafficking operation and in the child predator operation were here illegally in this country," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated.

He added that 22 of the suspects were receiving government assistance.

"We work. We all work. We pay taxes and then that tax money was given to these folks to use to come commit crime," Judd stated.

The youngest suspect arrested was 17 and the oldest was 70, according to PCSO.

Judd noted that eight guns were also taken during the operation.

What they're saying:

"These folks had as many as 919 previous criminal charges," Judd shared. "One guy had two murder charges and, by the way, spent a long time in prison, but he got out just in time to fool around and find out."

Who are the suspects?

Dig deeper:

According to Judd, the suspects came from all walks of life and included active members of the military, veterans, a doctor, a retired NFL player, engineers, insurance brokers and agents, a regional vice president of a time-share company, a Walmart store manager, a party planner, IT professionals, business owners, a crane operator, nurses and medical technicians.

Judd said that one suspect is a registered sex offender out of Tampa, who thought he was going to have sex with a 15-year-old.

"He told this 15-year-old child, ‘I want to put a baby in you,’" Judd said. "Well, we put a jail in him."

Another suspect was a regional executive for the American Red Cross.

Grady Judd press conference

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd gives an update on the arrest of 255 suspects during an undercover operation called 'Fool Around and Find Out'.

"A professional man with the Red Cross married to a professional lady and he took advantage of her," Judd shared. "Embarrassed her and the children, and he went to jail."

According to Judd, an illegal immigrant showed up because he wanted to have sex with a 15-year-old girl. Judd said the man brought cookies and told law enforcement officers he’d pay half up front and half afterward.

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"We asked this guy why he did this, and he said, ‘Curiosity killed the cat.’ Well, you’re going to have cat people on you now," Judd explained.

Another suspect was a receptionist at a Lakeland law firm. Judd quipped he shouldn’t have to go far to find a lawyer. That suspect, according to Judd, also said he was HIV positive.

A former NFL player was also arrested during the operation.

Judd said the retired linebacker brought his 6-year-old child to the operation and left the kid in the car when he went inside. The sheriff added that the child has a lot of medical conditions. DCF took the child and found its mother.

"He must have hit one too many people as a linebacker because his brain cells are scrambled," the sheriff noted.

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Judd added that one of the suspects said he could have gone to church the day of his arrest. Another suspect asked if he could do service hours with the sheriff’s office.

"He said when I get out of this, I’d like to be a detective. I like your work,’" Judd said. "I don’t know if he’s trying to grease us up or if he’s a nut job. Doesn’t make any difference. He’s going to the county jail."

Another suspect cried a lot and peed his pants, according to Judd.

Victims rescued

The sheriff added that despite the more than 250 suspects arrested, the rescue of several possible human trafficking victims made the operation worth it. The victims are being offered services from One More Child and Heartland for Children.

"If we only saved one, it’s worth the whole operation," Judd said.

With One More Child being embedded in the investigation, officials said they identified four possible human trafficking victims. The organization is advocating for legislation that would elevate a first-time soliciting prostitutes charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.

"It's an effort to reduce the demand for human trafficking," said Jodi Domangue, the organization's acting chief operating officer. "The issue is if I'm somebody purchasing somebody else, I don't know if that person is being trafficked or if they're doing it under their own volition. Chances are that person is doing it under the control of another person."

Domangue hopes the legislation will be introduced during next year's session.

The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and presented during a press conference on Friday morning.

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