Undercover Video: Deputies Pose As Prostitutes To Take Down Johns

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — In a continued effort to target human trafficking in Hillsborough County, Sheriff Chad Chronister announced the arrest of 49 men accused of soliciting prostitutes.

During an uncover operation Monday and Tuesday code-named “Operation Curb Appeal,” women detectives posed as sex workers through online ads and walking the streets.

During the two-day operation, more than 200 men made contact with the undercover detectives through an advertisement for sex posted online. Approximately 40 additional men approached undercover detectives posing as prostitutes on the streets in Tampa and Town 'n Country.

The men arrested range in age from 20 to 76 years old and come from a variety of backgrounds including carpenters, information technology professionals, an accountant, a college student and an active-duty military member.

One of the men arrested, Isaac Jermaine Thomas, 37, is facing charges of fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer and driving without a valid license in addition to soliciting. He tried to flee in his vehicles with deputies attempted to arrest him. No one was injured during this incident.

As Tampa prepares to host Super Bowl LV in February, Chronister emphasized that human trafficking-related operations in Hillsborough County will continue to increase.

“The driving force of human trafficking is, and always will be, the desire and willingness of Johns, who are the customers, to pay for sex with people who are victims of this industry,” said Chronister. “Without demand, an industry falls apart. Prostitution should not be viewed as a victimless crime. The person on the other end of these transactions could be someone who has been forced into human trafficking. I want to make it clear to those who want to purchase sex here in our community, you will be held accountable for your actions."