3 Disney World employees along with 17 arrested in Florida child sex sting || Polk County News

3 Disney World employees among 17 arrested in Florida child sex sting

Polk County News

Three Walt Disney World employees in Orlando were along with 17 suspects arrested in a massive child sex sting in Florida.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests as part of ‘Operation Child Protector’ at a news conference on Tuesday.

Collectively, the group was charged with 49 felony counts and two misdemeanors, including: traveling to meet a minor for sex, attempted felony battery, using a computer to seduce a child, and transmission of material harmful to a child.

Officials said most of the suspects had communicated with undercover agents, posing as 13- and 14-year-olds, and then traveled to a location with the intention of meeting and sexually assaulting victims.

Six suspects had brought condoms for the meet-ups. The two suspects did not actually visit, but sent obscene messages, pictures, and videos online to underage people.

Three suspects – Kenneth Javier Aquino, Jonathan McGrew, and Sarah Lawrence – stood out among the group because they are each employed by Disney.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told a news conference that Animal Kingdom Lodge lifeguard Aquino, 26, was wearing his Disney polo shirt, swim trunk, and alligator when he was arrested by undercover detectives on July 27.

Judd said that Aquino went straight to meet the girl from work that day after starting a conversation with who he thought a 14-year-old girl, asking for nude photos and sending pornographic videos of herself, Judd said.

‘He used to brag about his skills and how amazing he was,’ said Aquino’s Judd, who was the first to be arrested in the week-long sting. ‘He left his girlfriend, who was seven months pregnant with his child, to have sex with a child.’

McGrew, 34, and girlfriend Lawrence, 29, both of Kissimmee and both patrons at Disney’s Hollywood Studios allegedly tried to arrange a threesome with a secret spy posing as a 14-year-old girl on August 1.

Police said McGrew contacted two undercover detectives posing as underage girls within the same time frame, inviting one to his apartment and sending videos of him and Lawrence’s sexual acts.

McGrew wrote in a message, ‘Our fantasy is to play stepfather/stepdaughter/stepmother, teacher/student maybe even shoplifter where we do the strip search.

Lawrence told police she was “just a follower,” Judd said. The two took an Uber to the detective’s location, attempted to meet a minor for sex, and were arrested on the scene without incident.

McGrew reportedly wrote to the detective, ‘We want to enjoy the opportunity, we don’t want to rush. ‘Maybe at the conclusion, we’ll cuddle a little.’

According to PIX, at least 35 Disney employees were arrested for pedophilia-related charges between 2006 and 2014.

According to Newsweek, a chef and food runner at Disney facilities was caught in a child sex ring in 2018, and Metro reported that two more Disney employees were pegged for their involvement in a 2019 child porn sting, Metro reported.

Judd told reporters that one of those arrested, who could not be excluded because of HIPAA laws, admitted to officers after his arrest that he was HIV positive. He was not among those arrested with a condom on his person.

Orlando’s Domino’s Pizza driver Lior Enbar, 31, married LA-resident Jarrod Justice, 33, and Irving Oliver, 41, of Lackland, were all charged within the same day on July 27 for the crime of traveling to meeting a minor for sex and attempted lewd battery. 

Justice reportedly brought condoms and Sour Patch Kids to the scene. Enbar allegedly dialed *67 to call the 14-year-old ‘girl’ he was related to, asking for photos and videos and detailing what he wanted to do sexually.

Prior to this, Oliver was arrested for battery domestic violence, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and violating a restraining order.

Detectives said they found the PCP in the wallet of 30-year-old Joshua Ortega of Davenport when he was in prison, traveling to visit a minor for sex, and his charges of the attempted indecent battery included two additional offenses. 

He was released from state prison in June last year after being jailed for possession of cocaine, marijuana-related charges, theft, grand theft, and probation violations.

Ortega told detectives that he was unemployed, lived with his mother, and went to the place to have sex with a 14-year-old because he ‘hadn’t had sex in a while.’

Davenport’s registered nurse Juan Guadalupe-Arroyo, 47, was arrested after arriving at the detective’s location to meet with a 14-year-old boy for sex on July 30, police said.

He explained in detail what he wanted to do in conversation with the detectives and brought the condom to the scene. In addition to allegations related to the sex attempt, Guadalupe-Arroyo was also accused of misrepresenting his age online – telling the boy he was only 40 years old.

Carlos Flores, 36, of Orlando, was also charged for lying about his age on July 30 after he told a detective posing as a 13-year-old girl that he was 17.

Judd said, ‘He didn’t want to come inside the building, he wanted the girl to meet him in his car—it was his fantasy, having sex in the car.’

That day, Enrique Medina of Orlando, 47, and Adam Smith of Kissimmee, 30, were also charged with traveling felonies and attempted lewd battery to meet a minor.

Judd said custodian Thomas Snyder of Lakeland, 44, was at work while he sent a candid photo of himself from his job site with detectives posing as a 13-year-old boy on July 31.

‘He said “I like stinky feet” – he wanted to smell the little boy’s feet, and then he wanted to play with his toes,’ said Judd. ‘He talked really, really dirty during the secret conversation.’

Garbage truck drivers Jeremiah Davis, 27, of Clewiston, David Ring of Lakeland, 34, and Philip Nelson, 27, of Polk City, were all charged with felony counts on July 31, the day when they were communicating and traveling to those they thought they were 14 year old girls.

Julio Enrique Cedeno Jr., 45, of Zephyrhills, and self-identified professional poker player, Edward McGaffigan, 37, of Orlando, were both charged with the transmission of harmful material to a minor and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device for sending obscene photos. was alleged. themselves to 13- and 14-year-old ‘girls’ and requesting for the same in return.

‘He sent harmful material, he thought it was a 14 year old girl. When we went to pick him up, we actually showed him the chats. You know what he said? “Well, that’s really bad.” No kidding,’ said McGaffigan’s Judd. ‘He couldn’t travel – someone stole his car, so he just talked dirty and sent harmful material.’

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the undercover sting by the Auburndale Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Winter Haven Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Judd said in the press conference, ‘Our detectives working in this operation are excellent. ‘He is adept at talking like a 13- and 14-year-old and worked round the clock for a week to arrest 17 people.’

Stay tuned for more updates and Polk County News.

12 year old dies in a car crash that drove in front of another car in Polk County

12 year old dies in a car crash that drove in front of another car in Polk County 1

TAMPA, POLK CITY COUNTY-  A 12-year-old boy of Plant city died in the car he was riding after it crashed in Polk city. The 42-year-old driver under the influence of alcohol drove the car in front of another car and was struck by a driver, according to the Polk County Sherriff’s office. The crash also injured a 14-year-old boy who was in the car along with the drunk driver and the driver of the other car.

According to the Sherriff’s office, Joel Orozco, 12 was airlifted to St. Joseph’s hospital in Tampa where he died. The tragedy injured all four people involved in the crash including the two other people in Orozco’s car and the driver of the other car, Mario Martinez Salazar.

Martinez, 30 was driving west on Road 60 in Mulberry around 12.22 am on Sunday while Andres Orozco was traveling South on Coronet road. According to the Sherriff’s office, it was about this time when Andres drove into the path of Martinez’s car.

Apparently, no occupants in Orozco’s car wore seatbelts at the time of the crash. Andres and Joel Orozco were both ejected, according to the officials. The officers also said that Andres Orozco, of Wauchula, remains in critical condition with severe head trauma, a broken neck, and a broken leg at Lakeland Regional Health.

The 14-year-old Angel Orozco of Plant city was pulled out by the bystanders and taken to Lakeland Regional hospital with a broken collarbone and brain bleed and has been released upon treatment.

The other car which was driven by Martinez caught on fire. Martinez, from Mulberry, was arrested and pressed charges against DUI manslaughter, DUI crash with a serious injury, and driving without a valid license. Deputies also reported smelling alcohol on his breath. Martinez refused to give a breath sample at the jail and yet his blood level showed a 0.26 level of alcohol in the stream which is counted as three times the legal limit, said the arrest affidavits.

Although he was wearing a seatbelt he still was treated at Lakeland Regional Hospital for a broken leg before being taken to Polk County jail.

110 deaths and 15019 new Coronavirus cases reported in Florida

110 deaths and 15019 new Coronavirus cases reported in Florida 2

FLORIDA- According to state records, Florida adds 15019 new cases amidst the 110 deaths on Saturday, exceeding 1.7 million infected cases since the pandemic started last March.

A 6.6 percent of daily positivity rate was highlighted by The Florida Department of Health which also processed around 222,800 tests Friday.

Vaccinations: According to reports, a total of 1,651,366 people have been vaccinated in Florida with 32,024 just on Friday. So far, the number of people vaccinated in Hillsborough County, 74,859; in Pinellas, 74,847; in Pasco, 28,975; in Manatee 26,396; in Polk, 32986; in Hernando, 13938; and in citrus, 13,490.

Hospitalizations: 6,168 patients are being treated in Florida for COVID-19 and according to the Agency for Health care Association, 1,252 are reported just from the Tampa Bay region.

The Department of Health reported 276 new admissions inclusive of 73 admissions locally.

A statewide availability of 22 percent of hospital beds and 18 percent of adult intensive care unit beds were reported while 21 percent of hospital beds and 19 percent of adult ICU bed units were reported to be open in Tampa Bay.

According to John Hopkin news, a positivity rate of 10 percent in Florida was reported in Saturday.

As the World Health Organization states, at least a 5 percent of positivity rate or less should be maintained for a minimum of two weeks before considering reopening of the state. A lesser positivity rate indicates that testing is widespread enough to capture mild, asymptomatic, and negative cases.

Currently, Seventeen states, Guam and the District of Columbia have been able to maintain a positivity rate below 5 percent.

35-year-old woman killed in early Sunday morning crash on I-4

woman killed in early Sunday morning crash on I-4

I-4, FLORIDA: As per the Florida Highway Patrol, a woman lost her life after a car spun into the median and struck some trees about 3:10 a.m. on Sunday.

Records show the fatal crash happened along Interstate 4 near U.S. 27. Troopers said the vehicle was heading east on I-4 in Polk County.

The 35-year-old driver, from Polk County, lost control for reasons unknown. The crash reports say the car struck the trees after colliding the median and overturning.

Troopers said the driver was ejected from the vehicle. She was not wearing a seatbelt. The passenger, a 36-year-old, suffered minor injuries.

The driver was not wearing a seat belt. However, the passenger was wearing.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the reason that led to the crash.

15-year-old Winter Haven student fatally struck on Thursday morning

15-year-old Winter Haven student fatally

WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA: The Polk County Sheriff’s Office along with Winter Haven Police are investigating a fatal crash that happened Thursday morning.

The crash reports say a vehicle hit a student of Winter Haven High School. The student was riding her bike.

A 15-year-old girl was struck before 7 a.m. Thursday. Officials are questioning witnesses on scene at Ave. G NW and 22nd St NW. The parents of the victim were informed and they were at the scene.

The 15-year-old girl suffered life-threatening injuries. She was airlifted and taken to the hospital. The victim’s identity has not been released.

Authorities said the driver of the vehicle is on the scene.

Information about what led to the crash has not been released.

The crash is under investigation. No more details are available at the moment.

13 men arrested on child pornography charges in Lakeland

child pornography

 

LAKELAND, FLORIDA: As per the announcement made by Polk County’s Sheriff Grady Judd, 13 men, ages 20-47, were arrested on 2,364 felony charges related to child pornography. Records show the men are held on more than a $12.5 million bond.

The reports say the arrest was made on a sting called “Operation Guardians of the Innocence VI”.

Among the 13 people, 27-year-old Silas Toussaint Harris, an assistant coach for the Lakeland Destroyers was also charged.

A Lakeland High School teacher and varsity soccer coach 46-year-old  Shawn Fitzgerald also faced felony charges.

Sheriff Grady Judd said, “The men arrested in this operation create a market for these kinds of horrific images that are dependent upon the continued sexual abuse and rape of babies and children worldwide.” “We are committed to protecting our children from those who possess and distribute child pornography. Each time these images and videos are uploaded and shared these children are victimized again and again. I appreciate the hard work our detectives did that was necessary to file these charges,” Sheriff added.

 

 

1 killed, 1 critically injured in a crash near Davenport

DAVENPORT, Fla.: According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a three-vehicle crash near Davenport left a 56-year-old man dead.

1 critically injured in a crash near Davenport

Records say the 56-year-old Jose Flores was traveling south on Highway 17/92. The reports say the victim was struck in the front of a Toyota Tacoma. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said the Toyota Tacoma was driven by 71-year-old Samson Janvier.

30-year-old Walter Delgado, of Davenport, who was driving a Dodge, was struck in the debris from the crash. The reports say Delgado suffered minor injuries.

Flores was pronounced dead at the scene. Janvier suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Osceola Regional Medical Center.

The crash is under investigation. No more information has been released.

94-year-old woman killed in a fire in Davenport

DAVENPORT, Fla.: According to the recently released reports, a fire on Wednesday night in Davenport killed a 94-year-old woman and her pet.

94-year-old woman killed in a fire in Davenport

Records show the fire was reported around 9:15 p.m. on a mobile home in the 6300 block of Lake Wilson Road in Davenport. The rescue team found the single-wide mobile home engulfed in flames. Polk County Fire Rescue extinguished the fire. The reports say they found the woman and her pet dead while searching the home.

No more information has been released. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and fire marshal are doing the investigation.