POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd held a news conference on Tuesday morning to discuss the results of an undercover human trafficking case, according to the sheriff’s office.
In a release, deputies said the case — dubbed “Operation March Sadness 2024″ — involved an eight-day-long investigation of suspects engaging in activities related to prostitution.
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In all, 228 suspects were arrested during the investigation and 13 human trafficking victims were identified, officials said. Detectives from the Auburndale Police Department, Davenport Police Department, Haines City Police Department, Lakeland Police Department, Lake Hamilton Police Department, Lake Wales Police Department, St. Cloud Police Department, and Winter Haven Fire Rescue assisted with the investigation.
“But they continue to follow up and continue to follow up to rescue them. So while I’m totally excited, because we’ve never seen these numbers, the biggest problem we have in this type of investigation is getting the victims to admit their victims because they’re more afraid of their pimps and the human traffickers than they are the criminal justice system,” Judd said.
Among those arrested were coaches, military servicemembers and a school teacher, along with several other professions, deputies announced.
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The sheriff’s office said ages of those arrested ranged from 73 years old to 16 years old.
Judd was joined by representatives from local law enforcement agencies and social service groups that are offering to help human trafficking victims.
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