WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - A man known for playing Santa Claus at Polk County Christmas events was one of nearly 20 people arrested during an undercover operation that focused on child predators.
The backstory:
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and several law enforcement agencies launched a multi-day undercover investigation, "Operation Child Protector VIII" that focused on child predators, beginning April 20, 2026.
Detectives worked with investigators from several different sheriff's offices, police departments, and the Florida Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigations Division to arrest 19 suspects.
Sixteen suspects were charged with traveling to meet a minor for sex. Three of those were charged with human trafficking for offering to pay to have sex with a child.
Dig deeper:
According to an arrest affidavit, Thomas Allen Hicks, 68, who works in marketing at Tri-County Human Services and often plays Santa, responded to an ad on a known prostitution site posted by an undercover detective that offered his fictitious 15-year-old daughter up for commercial sex acts.
Hicks told the undercover detective he was hesitant because of the possibility of being caught in a ‘sting.’
Hicks was arrested after letting the undercover detective know that he was in the parking lot at a major retail store.
After his arrest, Hicks reportedly told investigators that even though he’s been married for more than 50 years, he regularly goes on prostitution sites looking for "hookers" and "companions."
The affidavit states that Hicks said he was attracted to the female in the ad because she was petite and even though he had feelings that it may be a sting, he kept coming back because he was "intrigued."
Hicks, according to the document, admitted that he knew the ad was for a girl who was 13 years old, and acknowledged that he should not have had continued contact or sexual thoughts about her.
The document states that Hicks said he wasn’t sure if he would have tried to have sex with the child victim if he knew she was real.
According to the affidavit, the suspect was calm while being interviewed, but did show emotion when asked about his wife or his reputation.
Hick was charged with human trafficking, traveling to meet a minor, unlawful use of a two-way communications device and soliciting a guardian of a 13-year-old child to engage in a sexual act.
What they're saying:
In a statement to FOX 13, Tri-County Human Services said that Hicks, who was a marketing manager, was terminated.
The company added, "Tri-County supports the Polk County Sheriff’s office in their investigation and activities to maintain the safety of the community. Mr. Hicks did not have access to clients or their electronic health record and was not able to gather any data related to child information at any time during his employment."
What's next:
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Florida's Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and sheriff’s and police chiefs from other Bay Area agencies will be holding a press conference at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday to provide more information.
The Source: This article was written with information in a press release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office as well as an arrest affidavit for Thomas Hicks.