Grady Judd: ‘Operation Fool Around and Find Out Again’ human trafficking investigation nets 246 arrests

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says nearly 250 suspects face serious charges after a weeklong multi-agency undercover investigation targeting human trafficking and illegal immigration.

Judd, along with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and other law enforcement officials, gave details on "Operation Fool Around and Find Out Again" at a news conference on Friday.

'Operation Fool Around and Find Out Again'

The Polk County Sheriff's Office says its detectives worked with several other sheriff's offices, police departments, Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest a total of 246 suspects.

• 99 suspects face charges of soliciting prostitutes, including an Orange County Sheriff's Office law enforcement recruit.
• 111 suspects face charges of offering to commit prostitution.
• 10 victims of human trafficking were identified and offered services through One More Child and My Name My Voice.
• 20 more suspects face prostitution-related charges, including aiding/abetting a prostitute or transporting a prostitute.
• 15 suspects face charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex or other child-sex-related crimes, and detectives have issued a warrant for a 16th suspect in Jacksonville for online child-sex-related crimes.

During Friday’s news conference, Judd said 219 of the suspects are from Florida, while residents of 11 other states and Puerto Rico were also arrested.

Additionally, 46 of the 246 suspects are in the U.S. illegally.

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Dig deeper:

Judd also said two of the suspects arrested in this operation were previously arrested during the first "Operation Fool Around and Find Out" investigation earlier this year.

"You know good and well that they’ve got two brain cells, OK," Judd said. "And they used one on the first one and one on the second. They have zero brain cells left now."

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Additionally, two Universal Orlando employees, two Disney employees, and nine people with military backgrounds are among the suspects.

What they're saying:

"We're going to look out for victims of human traffickers, and we arrested those [suspects]. We're going to look out for the children," Judd said during Friday's news conference.

Uthmeier aimed his message at parents, urging them to be more vigilant.

"Parents at home need to wake up," Uthmeier said. "In today's world with the technology, evil people are finding new ways to get to your kids."

Blaze Angolia, Florida's chief financial officer, echoed that same idea.

"Protect your kids because you have no idea the depravity there waiting to take advantage and hold of your children and to abuse them and turn their lives upside down," said Angolia. "For things as seemingly innocent as a coloring book app these kids are being targeted by online sexual predators for the purposes of destroying their souls."

What's next:

PCSO says the suspects will face a total of 371 charges, including 89 felonies.