Disney Employees, High School Coach Busted in Sex Trafficking Sting
WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA — A high school coach and three Disney employees were among the more than 200 people arrested after a week-long undercover human trafficking sting in Polk County.
Two illegal aliens, Maria Guzman and Freddy Escalona, were charged with felony human trafficking of 21 victims, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
“You always think of the guys being human traffickers, but she [Guzman] is the one facing a felony charge, which is 30 years in prison,” Sheriff Judd said. “She’s the one that was setting the appointments.”
FRAUD AND COERCION
Judd said Guzman met the young victims online, claiming she was looking for people to work in construction. According to the arrest report, Guzman forced the victims into sexual encounters and took 70 percent of the money.
The second illegal alien, Freddy Escalona, would lend money to women knowing they couldn’t pay him back and then force them into prostitution to repay the debt.
“He’s come here illegally to victimize people in the United States,” Sheriff Judd said.
Two women initially arrested in the operation were victims who brought a 14-month-old child with them to sexual encounters. Another man, who went to Polk County to buy sex, left his one-year-old daughter at home alone, telling deputies that the dog was at home watching her. Both children are now in the custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF).
SCHOOL COACH AND DISNEY EMPLOYEES BUSTED
A coach at a Polk County school was among those arrested for buying sex from the victims. According to Sheriff Judd, three of the men apprehended are Disney employees and another man works for a Disney hotel.
“We’re disappointed to learn that one of our employees was engaging in this kind of behavior,” Polk County Schools wrote in a statement. “Part of being an educator is understanding that you are held to a higher standard for your actions in the classroom, as well as the community.”
The employee was not on duty at the time and the allegations do not involve any students.
A total of 44 offenders were charged with felonies and 242 people were charged with misdemeanors:
- 35 of the men arrested for buying sex are suspected of being in the country illegally. Those who are here illegally are from six different countries: Cuba, Chile, Venezuela, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and the Bahamas.
- 41 suspects told detectives they are married
- 13 suspects told detectives they receive government assistance
- 42 suspects brought illegal drugs to the location: detectives seized fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana
- 2 suspects brought firearms to the undercover location
- 18 suspects were from other states: Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin
- The oldest person arrested is 76 years old while the youngest is 18 years old