41 Arrested in Undercover Internet Predator Sting

Polk County Sheriff's Office Conducts Largest Internet Crimes Against Children Undercover Operation in Polk County History -- 41 Suspects Arrested

An electrician; a student; an insurance salesman; a bank teller; a handyman; an AV technician; a file clerk; a painter; mechanics; theme park employees; a law enforcement academy graduate; an IT phone technician; laborers; a youth football coach; a photo lab technician, a heavy machine operator; a tax preparer; a hospital accountant; a wall-paper installer and a senior partner in a CPA firm - all wanted to have sex with a child -- all were arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail.

In an undisclosed location in Polk County, beginning on Saturday, June 8, through Saturday, June 15, 2013, Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives, along with detectives and investigators from 11 other local, state and federal agencies, conducted a week long undercover investigation targeting online child predators and arrested 41 suspects.

"Despite the fact our detectives have conducted nine of these operations since 2006; despite the extensive media coverage when we talk about the numerous arrests; despite the fact we make no secret about putting suspects in jail -- there are those who continue to travel to Polk County to have sex with a child. Make no mistake; we will continue to make protecting our children our number one priority. We will continue to conduct these investigations, and we will continue to arrest those who would travel to Polk County to harm children." -- Sheriff Grady Judd.

The 40 males and one female responded to ads and chatted on several social media sites, which included backpage and craigslist, with detectives and investigators from:

1. Polk County Sheriff's Office

2. Manatee County Sheriff's Office

3. Florida Department of Law Enforcement -- Tampa Region

4. St. Petersburg Police Department

5. U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations

6. Bradenton Police Department

7. Lake County Sheriff's Office

8. Orange County Sheriff's Office

9. Sumter County Sheriff's Office

10. Longwood Police Department

11. Department of Homeland Security

12. Osceola County Sheriff's Office