POLK COUNTY, Fla. — More than 30 people were arrested after a two-week-long undercover investigation focused on sexual predators who targeted children, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
Men and women were arrested, including a Colorado Corrections Officer, a high school umpire and an amusement park ride operator, the sheriff's office explained.
Deputies said during the investigation, undercover detectives posed as children on social media platforms, mobile apps and online dating sites to investigate those who prey upon and travel to meet children.
The agency explained that 10 of the alleged predators communicated and engaged with, in a sexual manner, who they thought were children online.
Two others traveled to undercover locations with the intention of having sex with children and another two did not communicate with undercover detectives, but with an actual 14 and 13-year-old whom they traveled to engage with sexually, the sheriff's office explained.
Seven others had sexually explicit conversations or electronically transmitted harmful material to those they thought were children, deputies added.
"We will continue to conduct proactive operations like this to ensure our children are safe. Thank you to our detectives and partnering agencies for your hard work to ensure our children are safe from predators who sexually abuse, groom, and corrupt our children," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
"I say it all the time - parents need to be all up in their child's business' when it comes to electronic devices that give them access to online gaming, mobile applications, texting, or the internet. Check their devices regularly, and ensure parental controls are enabled to keep predators like these away from your kids."
Detectives obtained warrants for six other suspects; one was arrested in Polk County, one was arrested in Indian River County, one was arrested in Hillsborough County, one was arrested in Colorado, and two are still wanted, the sheriff's office said.
In total, the 30 people arrested face a combined total of 75 felonies and two misdemeanor charges.