Polk sheriff says 213 people arrested in anti-prostitution operation

More than 200 people were arrested during a seven-day undercover, anti-prostitution operation, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said Thursday, including 24 that detectives believe might be human trafficking victims.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told the media Thursday morning that the operation produced more arrests than any single anti-prostitution operation before it. He said the operation included detectives from the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the police departments of Auburndale, Winter Haven, Haines City, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Davenport and Bartow.

He said the operation also included members from the Florida Department of Children and Families and social services organizations One More Child, Heartland for Children, My Name My Voice, Selah Freedom and the Children's Home Society Child Advocacy Center.

"Not only did we arrest more suspects during this single operation than we have ever arrested before, we identified 24 human trafficking victims - the highest number of victims we've ever rescued during one of these investigations," Judd said in a news release. "The valuable relationships that we have with the social services organizations who join us in these operations make it possible for these women to get help and be emancipated from this way of life."

Violent crimeMass shooting prompts launch of Polk County Violent Gang Investigative Task Force

Mass shooting in midtown2 men indicted on federal charges in Lakeland drive-by shooting that wounded 11

Spreading hateNeo-Nazi group distributes antisemitic material near Lake Hollingsworth

The Sheriff's Office said 213 people were arrested in all, including 111 people who were offering services as prostitutes. It said the prostitutes were screened by detectives and the social services organizations to determine whether they were being trafficked or exploited by others, and were offered services by the social services organizations at the operation. The Sheriff's Office said 24 of those who were screened were possible human trafficking victims.

Eighty-nine suspects were arrested for soliciting a prostitute and traveling to the undercover location for sex. Thirteen others were arrested, and of those, 10 were either making money from prostitution or aiding and abetting prostitutes.

Detectives charged those arrested with a total of 68 felonies and 308 misdemeanors. They ranged in age from 19 to 68.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: More than 200 arrested in Polk County prostitution crackdown