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Polk County, Florida Sheriff Grady Judd put an illegal immigrant, a Jan. 6 Capitol participant and a social media influencer front and center after a sweeping undercover sting netted 266 arrests tied to prostitution, human trafficking and child predators.
Polk County Sheriff Judd delivered a blunt breakdown Friday of what he called some of the “more outrageous events” uncovered during the multi-agency operation dubbed “Polk Around and Find Out.”
“We made 266 total arrests,” Judd said, adding that “about 247 of them were in the human trafficking operation,” with suspects collectively racking up “1,028 previous charges” before deputies “added 439 more charges to the repertoire.”
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A multi-day undercover operation targeting human trafficking, prostitution and child predators in central Florida resulted in 266 arrests, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Friday. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
Deputies arrested people from eleven states and eighteen different countries.
“People that think, ‘Oh, this is low-level and not violent’ – yeah, that’s wrong. It is violent, and it’s dangerous,” Judd said.
Among those highlighted was Ryan Yates, of Odessa, Florida, whom Judd said had previously been convicted in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and later pardoned.
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“He got away with it with a federal system. But not here,” Judd said. “He came here to violate the law. We arrested him.”
In a news conference Friday, Sheriff Grady Judd highlighted several suspects, including Craig Long II, 41. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
Judd also singled out Craig Long II, 41, a Tampa-area fitness business owner and a self-proclaimed “MAGA influencer.” On X, Long describes himself as “MAGA to the core.”
“Well, I’m going to give him some content for his social media today. He was a previous felon who straightened up, really, what we want to see in life. Now he’s an influencer,” Judd said.
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Another case involved Uno Garcia, an illegal immigrant from Cuba. Judd said Garcia brought his wife to engage in prostitution.
“So it’s kind of a family affair,” Judd said.
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Shannon Brooks, of Haines City, Florida, allegedly brought a 7-year-old into a room during an sexual encounter and left the child in a bathroom.
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Judd said Brooks told the child, “Don’t answer the mf-ing phone,” adding, “This is the kind of parenting that we want? Come on, man. What are you doing?”
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In another case, Derek Partita, 37, left a 10-year-old child in a car while attempting to meet a prostitute.
“This is a very sad situation,” Judd said.
Judd also pointed to J.R. Jackman, 27, who he said had high-level military security clearance.
“Don’t you feel comfortable knowing a guy with top security clearance is coming to meet a prostitute?” Judd said.
Another suspect, Salvador Villarel, a county utilities employee, allegedly arrived in a government vehicle.
“He doesn’t have the county truck, he doesn’t have the county job, but he does have the county jail,” Judd said.
Of the total arrests, 247 were related to prostitution and human trafficking investigations, including suspects accused of soliciting sex, offering to commit prostitution, or aiding and transporting sex workers. Another 19 suspects were arrested on charges related to child exploitation, including traveling to meet minors for sex. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
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Authorities said 247 of the arrests were tied to prostitution-related offenses, while 19 involved suspects accused of attempting to meet minors for sex. They added that 34 of those arrested were in the U.S. illegally.
The operation involved federal, state and local agencies and is part of ongoing efforts to target both buyers and facilitators in prostitution networks, officials said. Cases remain pending.