Massive Florida human trafficking bust: 29 arrested for prostitution and drug charges, 4 victims rescued
The Brief
A recent Florida undercover operation led to a massive human trafficking bust.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office said they were able to arrest 29 people for prostitution and drug charges, as well as rescue four victims.
Officials said they were able to provide resources to safely relocate and stabilize the victims.
Detectives said they were able to arrest one of the suspects responsible for trafficking one of the victims during the investigation, and additional arrests related to the remaining three human trafficking victims are pending further investigation.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - A recent Florida undercover operation has led to a massive human trafficking bust.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office said the operation led to the arrest of 29 people for prostitution and drug charges.
In addition, deputies reported rescuing four victims. They said they were able to provide resources to safely relocate and stabilize them.
The backstory
The Lake County Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Bureau recently conducted a three-day human trafficking operation, which they called "Operation Forced Labor."
Reports show that the operation was conducted from Feb. 6-8 at an undisclosed location in the central part of Lake County.
Deputies said the focus of the undercover operation was the identification, safe recovery and stabilization of human trafficking victims.
The investigation was a collaboration between detectives from the Clermont, Eustis, Leesburg and Mount Dora police departments, along with detectives from the Polk County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security.
During the operation, detectives said they worked in an undercover capacity using various known prostitution websites to solicit prostitutes and individuals looking for services provided by prostitutes.
During the operation, 33 individuals traveled to meet undercover detectives with the intent of engaging in criminal activity, officials stated.
What's next
Detectives said they were able to arrest one of the suspects responsible for trafficking one of the victims during the investigation: Darion Smith.
Additional arrests related to the remaining three human trafficking victims are pending further investigation, reports show.
Officials from multiple organizations said they collaborated to help provide monetary aid to the victims to supplement necessary expenses associated with recovery and stabilization, such as food, clothing, temporary lodging and transportation.
Lead detectives said they plan to maintain communication with the victims to support continued stabilization efforts and to attempt to facilitate relationships between victims and non-governmental support organizations.
What they're saying
"This was a collaborative effort," Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said. "Our detectives and other law enforcement partners worked very hard together to identify and rescue these victims of human trafficking and connect them to valuable resources that are available to assist them. We want these victims to know there is a way out."
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:
Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines
Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar
Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines
FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV
The Source
This story was written based on information shared by the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
Horse held years in dark Florida barn has joyous reaction when freed. See video
A young stallion that spent much of its life in a stall has been freed as part of an animal cruelty investigation, and video of his joyous reaction is getting hundreds of thousands of views on social media. The clip, just 20 seconds long, shows 2-year-old Thunder reacting to wide open spaces with a burst of energy, running in circles, bucking and kicking up his hooves. 'He was kept in a very small stall in a dark barn and never turned out to pasture,' the Polk County Sheriff's Office wrote in a June 3 Facebook post. 'This is his first time ever experiencing a pasture and being able to run free (well somewhat free) and he is loving it.' Thunder, a Paso Fino, was rescued Sunday, June 1, when the Polk County Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit followed up on a tip about two horses looking malnourished at a Lake Wales farm, about a 60-mile drive east from Tampa. Deputies arrived to find seven live horses and one dead one, along with 11 goats and two sheep. Three of the live horses appeared 'neglected and in poor condition,' the sheriff's office said in a news release. When questioned, the homeowner 'told detectives that he was taking care of the animals for a friend but that it was too expensive to feed them, and that he told the friend to come get the animals three months ago,' the sheriff's office said. All the animals, including Thunder, were seized and the homeowner was charged with felony animal cruelty and three counts of confining animals without proper food, care, and sustenance, officials said. The video of Thunder kicking up his heels was posted June 3 and had racked up more than 530,000 views and 1,700 comments as of June 5, many noting the ordeal had clearly not broken the horse's spirit. 'Seeing him run brings tears to my eyes,' Debbie Hendrix posted on the sheriff's office Facebook page. 'You can watch him and just see how spirited, free and how happy he is now,' Mary Jane Favell Scalzo wrote. Thunder's temporary home is the Polk County Sheriff's Office Stockade, which is 'Horsey Heaven' compared to his past accommodations, the sheriff's office said. His future remains uncertain. In a 'best case scenario' all the confiscated animals will be surrendered to the sheriff's office, officials said. However, the homeowner says some of the animals are owned by other people. 'So the owner(s) could come forward and surrender them, or the PCSO may have to get a court order to take custody,' the sheriff's office said. 'Once we get custody, we typically turn the horses over to a nearby horse rescue that cares for them and finds them a loving home.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Change of venue granted for embattled Madison County Treasurer, upcoming trial moved to Boone County
WINTERSET, Iowa – The upcoming trial against embattled Madison County Treasurer Amanda DeVos, 37, has been moved to Boone County. Hours after delaying a trial hearing on May 19, an attorney for DeVos filed a motion for a change of venue, citing 'extensive media coverage and publicity' following her late January arrest for alleged Felonious Misconduct in Office, Tampering with Records, Fraudulent Practice in the third degree, and third-degree Theft. Motion-for-Change-of-Venue-250519-DeVosDownload The motion was granted on Thursday, with the new venue set for Boone County, about an hour from the courthouse in Winterset where the trial had originally been planned. A trial date for the criminal case had not been officially filed, according to court records. DeVos has been free from jail since posting a $5,000 surety bond shortly after she was arrested for allegedly using her access as county treasurer to alter government records to make it look like she paid for her vehicle registration plates when she had not. DeVos pleaded not guilty. Roughly three weeks later, the Polk County Sheriff's Office announced additional charges were pending against DeVos for an entirely different criminal scenario allegedly involving her property taxes. DeVos is represented by Timothy McCarthy, II, of McCarthy & Hamrock. Her application for a public defender had been denied due to an incomplete application form because she did not disclose what her income was, according to court records. Devos was making $78,787.13 after getting a 3.57% raise, according to online public records posted by the Iowa State Association of Counties. DeVos waived her right to a preliminary hearing in February, around the same time she was temporarily relieved of her duties by the Madison County Board of Supervisors. A new treasurer was appointed. However, due to her position as an elected official, the BOS does not have the power to officially remove DeVos from office, and she was reportedly still collecting her salary and county-supplied benefits for months after her arrest. According to County Attorney Stephen Swanson, DeVos had refused to resign from the position, which forced him to file a Ch. 66 petition in April to have her forcefully removed from the office. He also petitioned for an injunction that would prohibit her from being paid by the county. A judge granted the pause on her salary payments. A Trial Scheduling Conference in that case is scheduled for July 18 at 9 a.m. in Madison County. DeVos has not been charged in connection with the apparent mishandling of county funds, which appears to have plagued nearly every municipality and school district in Madison County. After her arrest, WHO 13 confirmed the City of Winterset received more than $250,000 in funds due for other municipalities and discovered that late property tax payments to the Winterset Community School District forced it to withdraw funds from investment opportunities to cover payroll multiple times. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Students escape injury in Beach Park crash involving school bus
A Zion man may have suffered a medical emergency before his SUV struck four other vehicles, including a school bus, Tuesday morning in Beach Park, the Lake County Sheriff's Office said. The man, 74, was brought to a hospital in critical condition following the crash, which occurred at about 8 a.m. near the Sheridan Road and Michigan Boulevard intersection. Police said the man was headed north on Sheridan Road when his GMC SUV struck the activated stop arm of a school bus that was picking up students. The vehicle then sideswiped a Ford Focus, sending the vehicle into a utility pole. The SUV then hit two more southbound vehicles, one being driven by a Winthrop Harbor man and the other by a Fox Lake woman. There were only two students on the bus, and neither of them nor the driver was hurt. The children boarding the bus were also uninjured. The Focus driver, a 49-year-old Beach Park man, and the Fox Lake woman suffered serious injuries, but they are not considered life-threatening, police said. The crash remains under investigation.
