Florida law enforcement authorities have apprehended 157 individuals, including 25 undocumented immigrants, during an operation targeting human trafficking.
Speaking at a press conference, Polk County Sheriff, Grady Judd with representatives from various other law enforcement agencies from places like Marion County, Lake County, Auburndale, Clermont, Davenport, Winter Haven, Lakeland and Tampa, announced that “Operation Autumn Sweep” resulted in the arrest of 157 suspects involved in illegal acts related to soliciting prostitutes, offering to commit prostitution, and aiding and abetting prostitutes. Three others were rounded up for travelling to sexually batter children.
157 individuals, including 25 illegal immigrants, were arrested in a US human trafficking sting
The operation commenced on October 2nd, and the subsequent investigation revealed that four potential victims of human trafficking were identified among the 47 individuals who presented themselves at undercover locations with the intent to engage in prostitution.
The office of Judd reported the arrest of 96 individuals suspected of soliciting prostitution. Out of the total 157 arrests, 35 were classified as felonies, while 201 were misdemeanors.
“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,” Judd said.
The sheriff clarified that out of the 157 individuals who were apprehended, 25 were undocumented immigrants from nations such as Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Venezuela.
“Sixteen percent of these total arrests were people who should not even have been in this country,” the sheriff said.
“But they were here, and they were here because we have a federal government that enabled these criminals to come into the country, and they treated them very well after the criminals came here illegally.”
Judd also shared the story of a female suspect who came to the US with her child. The woman told investigators she flew into Mexico from Venezuela and then walked across the border from Mexico into El Paso, Texas, with her child.
Judd said when the woman arrived in Texas, she was greeted by the Border Patrol.
“There is no border security at the southern border. Zero. It doesn’t exist,” Judd said.
He continued, saying the woman went to the Border Patrol processing center where she completed the process and was placed in a housing facility for migrants.
The woman said she was given a DNA test to make sure her DNA matched her child’s, and once that was done, she was told about the benefits she could get in the US.
According to Judd, the woman was told she was eligible for programs like Medicaid and SNAP.
She allegedly then got a free trip from Texas to Chicago, and after arriving there, she could not find employment.
Judd said the woman decided to go to Florida and was even given a free flight to the Sunshine State.
“She was given free housing, all because the United States paid for that. That’s right. Use the taxpayers,” Judd said. “This was not a stealthful act, and they gave her free travel, free housing, free food, free medical care. All while people from the hurricane are still waiting for help.”
Judd also said four of the women listed as human trafficking victims were smuggled across the border, two of whom admitted to having to pay off a coyote debt of $6,000.
“Make no mistake about it, the government is complicit and is aiding and abetting human trafficking in the United States,” Judd said.
“In addition to that, there is a wide-open border where fentanyl is coming across, and that is encouraged, and as a result of that, we have thousands upon thousands of people dying in the United States. And then the best that our federal politicians can say was, ‘well, it didn’t kill as many people this year as last year.’”
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
In addition to the illegal immigrants, Judd’s office said 26 suspects told detectives they are married; nine said they received government assistance; 10 brought illegal drugs like cocaine, MDMA and marijuana to the locations where they planned to meet; 10 firearms were brought to the undercover location; and 131 suspects were from outside of Polk County, including nine states and the United Kingdom.
The oldest person arrested in the sting was 61, while the youngest was 15.