Florida authorities have locked up 16 men following a four-day undercover operation designed to pull child predators off the streets of Central Florida. Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the results of the sting this week, revealing that the sweep is now considered the most successful Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) operation in the history of Osceola County.
The operation, which ran from March 18 to March 21, was a massive group effort. The Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office led the charge, working alongside Homeland Security Investigations and police departments from Orlando, St. Cloud, and Lake City.
Undercover officers posed as children aged 13, 14, and 15 on various escort websites and chatrooms. According to investigators, each of the 16 defendants engaged in explicit conversations and made concrete plans to meet for sexual activity, even after being told they were speaking with minors…