POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested 157 people after "Operation Autumn Sweep," a five-day-long undercover human trafficking investigation that began on Oct. 2, 2024.
In a news release, the agency said of those 157 arrested, only one person, 25-year-old Travis Hutchinson, was charged with human trafficking. Three other men, including a Disney World employee, were charged with traveling to the undercover location to sexually batter children.
Deputies said Hutchinson created all of the online ads for his victim and organized meetings between her and his clients. During this time, the agency said he would assault the woman and "force her into prostitution through intimidation, fear and physical abuse."
Hutchinson was arrested after the woman arrived at the undercover location and "trusted law enforcement enough to tell her story," deputies said.
Meanwhile, Branden Orr, 28, Michael Gillis, 34, and Ezequiel Mejia, 30, were arrested after they allegedly engaged in sexual discussions with undercover detectives posing as minors online. Orr told detectives he was a lifeguard at Disney World's Art of Animation Resort after he was arrested.
He was one of three people arrested in the operation who worked at Disney World.
Overall, 96 suspects were arrested for soliciting a prostitute and traveling to the location to exchange sex for money. Four possible human trafficking victims were identified during the operation, the sheriff's office said.
"The approach of Hurricane Milton caused us to end our investigation earlier than planned, but it’s still amazing that in such a short amount of time, we were able to put 157 people in jail, and three child predators," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated in a news release. "Sixteen percent of the suspects we arrested are here illegally, but were offered free medical, food, travel, and housing, compliments of the U.S. taxpayers – meanwhile hurricane victims are still waiting, and praying for help."