Polk County deputies arrest 92 in prostitution sting

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A four-day undercover prostitution investigation landed 92 people in jail, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced Monday.

Judd said the investigation, which ran May 8-11, targeted online sites that he said allowed advertisements by prostitutes and those seeking prostitutes.

Those arrested face charges ranging from offering to commit lewdness to traveling to meet a minor.

Over half of the alleged pimps and prostitutes arrested in Polk County are from the greater Orlando area.

Rachel Wright, an Orlando mother on food stamps, left her 2-year-old in the car while she allegedly worked as a prostitute.

One of those arrested, Samuel Yoon, 45, is a youth minister from California, according to deputies. Judd said Yoon thought he was meeting a 14-year-old girl for sex while in town for a convention.

"This guy is a pedophile," Judd said.

Judd also said one man, Mohammed Ahmed, was in Orlando on his honeymoon when he was arrested.

Judd said he rounded them all up over the course of four days by logging online and simply clicking his mouse.

Judd said backpage.com facilitated each rendezvous with suggestive ads.

"Two hundred roses for an hour. Hmm, that takes a lot to figure out. Is that red roses or yellow roses? That depends if you're in love or in heat," Judd said.

One 15-year-old from Sanford told detectives she'd been selling sex for two years.

"We go after the bad guys and the bad girls," Judd said.

Judd said he is launching a criminal investigation against backpage.com with the help of the state attorney general.

WFTV