Authorities: 101 arrested in 11 days in sex predator sting

Author: Associated Press
Published: Updated:
MGN

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) – Detectives from Polk and Lake counties say they have arrested 101 people over 11 days in a sex predator sting in which detectives posed as children between the ages of 12 and 14.

The Ledger of Lakeland (http://bit.ly/1EUHlpS) reports authorities announced the arrests at a press conference Tuesday. A spokesman says the operation was named “Operation: L and P” – for Lake and Polk counties – and lasted 10 days. There were two phases of the operation: cyber and prostitution.

Judd said detectives used a vacant house in Clermont and used chat forums to pose as a child, a parent of a child or an individual looking for prostitution.

Twenty-two suspects were arrested in the seven-day-long cyber phase. Another 79 suspects were arrested in the four-day-long prostitution phase.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.