A massive Florida sex trafficking sting has resulted in the arrests of 160 people including two Disney workers, multiple teachers and a Georgia deputy police chief.
During the week-long operation ‘Operation Fall Haul II,’ investigators discovered at least two sex trafficking victims, and there could potentially be more, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said on Friday.
Among the 160 accused, who allegedly responded to online ads and agreed to meet up for sex, was 49-year-old Jason DiPrima, who at the time was the deputy chief of the Cartersville Police Department in Georgia.
DiPrima has since resigned from his position after the department placed him on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, according to a press release.
The operation resulted in 52 felony charges and 216 misdemeanor charge against the accused including several who work in the school system.
High school IT expert Cameron Burke from Ocoee, Florida, was also busted during the sting for soliciting a prostitute. Others included John Layton, an Orange County physical education teacher, Carlos Gonzales, an Osceola County math teacher, and two Disney employees.
Jason DiPrima, 49, deputy chief of the Cartersville Police Department in Georgia, was named as one of 160 people arrested as part of the week-long sting
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd also mentioned a 24-year-old corrections officer, a two-year employee of the Lake Correctional Institution, who is now accused of two counts of soliciting a prostitute.
‘Now think about this,’ Judd said. ‘This guy is in charge of people who are in prison for violating the law. He comes and he violates the law. So, birds of a feather flock together, and he’s in the jail as a jailbird like those jailbirds he watches.’
Cameron Burke, 41, a computer technician for a high school had been out on bond after being arrested for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student in 2021 when he was arrested as part of the sting, according to WKMG-TV.
DiPrima has since resigned from his position after the department placed him on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, according to a press release
Jason DiPrima is no longer a police officer according to Sheriff Grady Judd. He faces charges out of Florida after a prostitution sting last week
Several other teachers were arrested in the sting. Physical education teacher John Layton, 26, was reportedly wearing a track and field shirt for West Orange High School when he was arrested after allegedly agreeing to pay $40 for an unspecified sex act.
Carlos Gonzales, 36, a math teacher at New Dimensions High School, faces two charges of soliciting a prostitute after he allegedly agreed to have sex with two detectives who were working undercover.
Two Disney employees were also arrested as a result of the sting.
Guillermo Perez, 57, who works at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort as a bellhop allegedly agreed to pay $80 for a brief sexual encounter with an undercover detective, it was reported.
Samy Claude, 26, a photographer who is contracted by Disney, was charged with soliciting a prostitute and then he allegedly brought a bag of sour Skittles to the meeting.
Burke, 41, a computer technician for a high school had been out on bond after being arrested for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student in 2021 when he was arrested as part of the sting
Physical education teacher John Layton, 26, was reportedly wearing a track and field shirt for West Orange High School when he was arrested after allegedly agreeing to pay $40 for an unspecified sex act
Carlos Gonzales, 36, a math teacher at New Dimensions High School, faces two charges of soliciting a prostitute after he allegedly agreed to have sex with two detectives who were working undercover
Those arrested range in age from 19 to 64, with 26 of them who are reportedly married and seven suspected of being in the United States illegally, Crime Online reported.
‘The online prostitution industry enables traffickers and allows for the continued victimization of those who are being trafficked,’ Sheriff Judd said.
‘Our goal is to identify victims, offer them help, and arrest those who are fueling the exploitation of human beings (Johns) and those profiting from the exploitation of human beings. Prostitution is not a victimless crime – it results in exploitation, disease, dysfunction, drug and alcohol addiction, violence, and broken families.’
Guillermo Perez, 57, who works at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort as a bellhop allegedly agreed to pay $80 for a brief sexual encounter with an undercover detective, it was reported
Samy Claude, 26, a photographer who is contracted by Disney, was charged with soliciting a prostitute and then he allegedly brought a bag of sour Skittles to the meeting
According to Crime Online, those detained vary in age from 19 to 64; 26 of them are apparently married, and seven are perhaps living unlawfully in the country.
The 61-year-old owner of many pizza businesses from Kentucky who was on holiday in Kissimmee, Florida, was also detained as part of the operation after accepting an internet escort.
‘He said ‘Well, I’ve done this four times in the past.’ Have you discussed this with your wife? Did you get her permission? Did she say, ‘Go boy go?’ Apparently not,’ Judd said.
‘So he told (a law enforcement officer), he says ‘I’m paying for an hour of sex, 15 minutes is all I need, I’m just gonna give her a tip.’ I guess kind of like the pizza delivery guy.’
Judd also briefly discussed the former deputy police chief who has since resigned from his post and ‘lost his career.’
‘He did a very mean, nasty thing to his family, and he certainly embarrassed all the people of Cartersville (Georgia),’ Judd said.