13 More Men Arrested In Polk Sheriff's Crackdown On Child Predators

POLK COUNTY, FL — Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd provided details of the latest effort in his quest to crack down on people who prey on children for sex.

On Thursday, he hosted a news conference to announce the results of another undercover sting in which undercover detectives nabbed another Disney employee and a Publix employee.

In all, 13 men were arrested during the two-week multi-law enforcement agency investigation called "Operation Cyber Guardian 2."

Detectives posed as children on social media platforms, mobile apps and online dating sites to catch people seeking sex with kids. In addition to the Disney and Publix employees, the sheriff's office said it arrested an Amazon employee and a man who installs internet safety equipment in schools.

Three of those arrested believed they were speaking with parents or guardians of children who wanted to teach their "child" to have sex.

Eight of the men traveled to a prearranged location to meet the undercover detectives for sex, according to Judd.

Five others had sexually explicit conversations with children or electronically transmitted explicit photos or videos to the detectives pretending to be kids.

"We will continue to conduct proactive operations like this to search out these evil predators before they get to our children," Judd said in a news release. "Thanks to the hard work of our detectives and the detectives in our partnering agencies, these 13 predators have been arrested. We are going hold them criminally accountable for their attempts to sexually abuse, groom and corrupt our children."

He gave some advice to parents of young children.

"Parents, please get all in your child's business when it comes to their use of electronic devices that gives them access to online gaming, mobile applications, texting or the internet," he said. "Check their devices regularly, and ensure parental controls are enabled to keep men like these away from your kids."

The Polk sheriff was assisted in the operation by police departments in Auburndale, Bartow and Davenport, as well as the Hernando Sheriff's Office, Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Polk State Attorney Brian Haas.