During a human trafficking raid, Florida law enforcement officers detained 157 people, including 25 illegal immigrants, some of whom reportedly got federal benefits after entering the country.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced, along with representatives from other law enforcement agencies in Marion County, Lake County, Auburndale, Clermont, Davenport, Winter Haven, Lakeland, and Tampa, that “Operation Autumn Sweep” had resulted in the arrest of 157 suspects involved in illegal acts such as soliciting prostitutes, offering to commit prostitution, and aiding and abetting prostitutes. Three additional people were detained for sexually abusing minors.
The operation began on October 2, and the investigation revealed that four potential human trafficking victims were discovered among the 47 prostitutes who arrived at covert sites to commit prostitution.
According to Judd’s office, 96 individuals were detained for soliciting prostitution, while 35 felonies and 201 misdemeanors were issued to the 157 people apprehended.
We had to conclude our investigation sooner than intended due to Hurricane Milton, but it’s still astounding that we were able to arrest 157 people and three child predators in such a short period of time,” Judd stated.
According to the sheriff, 25 of the 157 people arrested were in the United States illegally from 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 deputy indicated. “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 told the account of a female suspect who traveled to the United States with her child. The woman informed authorities that she traveled into Mexico from Venezuela before walking across the border into El Paso, Texas, with her child.
Judd stated that when the woman landed in Texas, she was hailed by the Border Patrol.
“There is no border security at the southern border. Zero. “It does not exist,” Judd explained. He went on to add that the woman went to the Border Patrol processing center, completed the process, and was placed in a migrant housing facility.
The woman stated that she was offered a DNA test to ensure that her DNA matched that of her child, and that once completed, she was informed of the benefits she may receive in the United States.
According to Judd, the woman was told she qualified for programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. She apparently then received a free ticket from Texas to Chicago, but upon arrival, she was unable to find work.
Judd stated that the woman chose to travel to Florida and was even given a free airfare to the Sunshine State.
“She received free housing because the United States paid for it. That’s correct. “Use the taxpayers,” Judd stated. “This was not a stealthy act, and they provided her with free travel, housing, food, and medical treatment. Meanwhile, people affected by the disaster continue to wait for assistance.
Judd further stated that four of the women designated as human trafficking victims were smuggled across the border, with two admitting to needing to repay 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,” according to Judd. “In addition, there is a wide-open border where fentanyl is being brought in, which is encouraged, and as a result, we have thousands upon thousands of people dying in the United States. And then our federal officials can only respond, ‘Well, it didn’t kill as many people this year as last year.'”
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
In addition to the illegal immigrants, Judd’s office said 26 suspects told detectives they were married; nine said they received government assistance; ten brought illegal drugs such as cocaine, MDMA, and marijuana to the locations where they planned to meet; ten firearms were brought to the undercover location; and 131 suspects were from outside Polk County, including nine states and the United Kingdom.
The oldest individual detained in the raid was 61, and the youngest was 15.
Judd’s office also stated that three suspects were active-duty military or veterans, three worked at Disney World, three had previously been arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in similar stings, and several claimed to have left their spouse or fiancé at home while they were at work, shopping, or going to the gym.
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Florida human trafficking sting nabs 157 people, including 25 illegal immigrants