HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — More than 120 people were arrested in Hillsborough County during a 90-day operation relating to combating human trafficking, the sheriff's office said.
On National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, Sheriff Chad Chronister gave a press conference providing details about these arrests and the work of the HCSO's Human Trafficking Section, which was created in 2021.
Chronister claimed the Human Trafficking Section has made 604 arrests related to human trafficking since he launched it. Of those arrests, 36 were charged specifically with human trafficking.
The others were arrested on what law enforcement calls "human trafficking-related charges." These refer mainly to charges brought against would-be clients who tried to solicit or pay for sex with a trafficking victim. These people are also known as "johns," whom Chronister has called "the driving force behind prostitution" who "fuel the demand" for human trafficking.
For the 90-day undercover operation, Chronister said they were going after online predators targeting minors. Detectives interacted with suspected human traffickers and would-be johns by posing as minors and as parents or guardians who were selling children for sex.
"We have come face to face with individuals from all walks of life, some of whom held positions of trust and authority," said Chronister, "That shockingly included a teacher, a nurse, a basketball coach, and a person employed by a spiritual organization."
Chronister then went on to cite examples of authority figures whom the Human Trafficking Section had arrested and charged with solicitation, including James Villacorteza, 28, a former science teacher at James Elementary School in Tampa.
"That these individuals willingly sought such heinous activities despite knowing the children's ages is abhorrent and deserves our collective contempt," said Chronister.
He added that he's noticed a disturbing trend among the people detectives as they attempted to meet a minor for sex: some of those suspects had a gun in their possession when they were arrested. Chronister said this led him to wonder what their true intentions were.
Chronister touted the department's success in aiding human trafficking victims, claiming that the Human Trafficking Section had rescued 28 victims by getting them away from traffickers, getting them medical attention, and helping them get off drugs.
"There is help available," said Chronister "It's as simple as making a phone call."
For anyone in need of help, the human trafficking hotline number is 1-888-373-7888. More resources can be found here.