The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office saved three victims of human trafficking during a sting dubbed “Operation Innocence Shield” which led to 10 arrests, although a guy sipping wine in a pool was lucky to avoid a pair of handcuffs.
The four-day operation focused on human trafficking by disrupting online marketing of prostitution, according to the sheriff’s office, which held a press conference on June 23 at its Operations Center in Bunnell. In the first phase of the operation, undercover detectives responded to online platforms advertising sex services.
Detectives identified three women who were being trafficked and helped the woman get support services and a safe living arrangement.
“For the victims of human trafficking, please know that we want to help you escape,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said.
“I want to commend the team and our partners for rescuing three victims, because I can tell you we see a lot of these operations, you don’t always get three victimes that you rescue, so it was a great job,” Staly said.
Staly warned people who were looking to sell or buy sex.
“To the members of our community that think they can find sex or advertise sex on the internet, you might just be talking to an undercover agent. What you are really looking for when you do that, you are really looking for us to arrest you, which is what we are going to do,” Staly said.
“I want to remind our community this is not a victimless crime. Victims are often drugged, they are threatened or made to perform sex acts against their will,” Staly said. “Robberies, drugs and guns are often involved.”
Detectives arrested six individuals on various prostitution and drug related charges. They also seized narcotics, drug paraphernalia, a firearm and a car.
In the second phase, detectives focused on individuals seeking to pay for sex through online ads and made four arrests.
It was in this second phase that detectives communicated with a man who said his wife was out of town. The man said he was in his pool drinking wine. But the man was concerned about drinking and driving to meet the woman he believed was a prostitute.
Staly said the man’s decision not to drink and drive was the only smart choice he made.
“Had he shown up he would have been arrested,” Staly said.
The sheriff added that there were other people who didn’t show up after communicating with undercover detectives posing as prostitutes. Some said they didn’t have a ride.
2 Palm Coast residents arrested on solicitation of prostitution charges
The sheriff said the sting resulted in two people arrested in Flagler County. Both were men charged with solicitation of prostitution. Others arrested included several from Jacksonville, one from Orange City and another from Melbourne.
“In one way, I was proud of our community,” he said. “We only arrested two johns (from Flagler County) that came looking for sex.”
Lots of child sexual abuse material arrests in Flagler County
But Staly said the sheriff’s office has made lots of arrests related to child sexual abuse material in Flagler County.
“What we are seeing in Flagler County is a lot of child sex pornography on the internet or making it,” Staly said.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Detective Joe O’Barr, who worked on Operation Light Shine, said detectives have seen an increase in activity.
“We have a lot of increased activity online across numerous platforms where people are advertising themselves commercially or being advertised by other persons commercially for sex. I’ve personally seen an increase over the last couple of years in that realm as well, and the two are often overlapping, where child sex abuse material and prostitution can be commingled,” O’Barr said.
Family Life Center helped human trafficking victims
Staly praised all the organizations and units involved in the operation which ran from June 10 to June 14 and involved the sheriff’s office Cyber Crimes Unit, Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, 7th Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza’s Office and the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.
Staly also praised the help the victims received from the Family Life Center in Flagler County, saying the organization had always been a great partner.
The Family Life Center in Flagler County provided housing to the human trafficking victims.
“I’m very pleased that the operation took place. I’m all for helping victims find independence and safety and for holding perpetrators accountable,” said Trish Giaccone, the chief executive officer of the Family Life Center.
Added Giaccone: “Anytime you can save a human life It’s a good thing.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Flagler Sheriff’s sting focuses on human trafficking, prostitution
Reporting by Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Frank Fernandez, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
