40 Arrested in Human Trafficking Undercover Child Sex Sting in Lake County

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office arrested 40 people attempting to meet children online for sexual activity, according to reports released Tuesday morning.

A 17-year-old, human-trafficking victim was recovered, according to reports.

Detectives of the county’s cyber crimes unit conducted the undercover “Operation Catfish” in a vacant home in South Lake County and posed as a 14-year-old child.

Those arrested allegedly traveled to the home, intending to have sex, and were taken into custody upon arrival.

Detectives seized two vehicles and a stolen firearm, according to reports.

Lake County, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force worked together on a 10-day operation.

An undercover sting operation is a deceptive operation, put into place by police, with the goal of catching an alleged predator. It is an investigation where police pretend to be someone else—and when the goal is to catch a sexual predator, then police will pretend to be a minor or the guardian of a minor. Undercover sting operations are attractive to police because they often net large short-term results and high publicity with relatively little work.

If you are arrested in a sex sting operation in Lake County or elsewhere in the state of Florida, you need to fight for your rights because your future is at stake. The best way to protect yourself from the harsh consequences of a conviction is to hire an experienced Florida Sex Crimes Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melton immediately.

At Whittel & Melton, we believe in fighting aggressively for our clients. We will tailor a defense specifically for you that is designed to expose the holes in the prosecution’s case against you. Contact us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.