16 People Arrested In Polk County Child Porn Sting

Police departments in Florida focus on certain crimes, such as child pornography, which can hurt children in many ways. The victims often suffer from long-term physical and mental abuse that can even last the rest of their lives. Because of this, police officers often perform sting operations to get child porn users off the streets and into prison.

This was recently the case in Polk County, where the Polk County Sheriff’s Office performed an undercover investigation called Operation Guardians of Innocent VII. The month-long operation led to 16 arrests, 23 search warrants, and 2,777 felony charges.

Among those arrested in the Central Florida sting operation were four teens, a correctional officer, and a Navy veteran. The correctional officer, a 33-year-old man who formerly worked at Polk Correctional Institute, admitted that he had been viewing child porn for the past decade and even expected police to show up at his door one day.

Another man who was arrested was a 68-year-old Navy veteran from Lake Wales. The man had been viewing child porn for 20 years and admitted that he was sexually aroused by toddlers. He had viewed child porn of children as young as 6 months old.

A 22-year-old man from Lakeland was found in possession of videos showing children as young as 12 years old being sexually battered. He has been charged with 197 counts of enhanced child pornography possession and 12 counts of child pornography promotion.

A 54-year-old man from Lakeland was found with videos of sexually battered children as young as 7 years old. He is facing 32 counts of child pornography promotion and one count of child pornography possession. He had a long criminal history that includes 11 misdemeanors and five felonies for various crimes, including battery, disorderly conduct, violation of probation, DUI, and driving with a suspended license.

Another man from Lakeland was found with images of children as young as 6 months old being sexually battered. The 52-year-old man is charged with 516 counts of enhanced child porn possession and one count of child pornography promotion.

A 31-year-old man from Davenport was found in possession of images and videos of children as young as 4 years old being sexually battered. The man, who worked at Davenport Publix, has been charged with 670 counts of enhanced child pornography possession.

There were also four teens arrested—two of them as young as 15 years old—but their identities were not made public due to their ages.

Contact a Legal Professional for Help

Child porn is a serious issue in Florida—so bad that sting operations are done on a regular basis. The outcome of this operation shows that people of all ages can become addicted to it and be punished harshly.

Child porn crimes are no minor issues in the state. Seek experienced legal representation from Florida child pornography lawyer Gilbert A. Schaffnit. Schedule a consultation 24/7 by calling (352) 505-1799 or filling out the online form.

Resource:

cbs12.com/news/local/navy-vet-and-four-teens-among-16-arrested-in-florida-child-porn-sting