Thirteen arrests were made near the end of February 2022, after The Tampa Bay Human Trafficking Task Force became aware of a multi-agency human trafficking operation in the Tampa Bay Area. Six of those involved will face human trafficking charges.
About the Sting Operation
The online undercover operation took place on February 24th and 25th, and involved the solicitation of sex, according to St. Petersburg, Florida police.
The sting operation targeted those who prey on underaged children, including buyers and sellers. The goal was to identify and help victims of human trafficking across Tampa Bay.
The Tampa Bay Human Trafficking Task Force was made up of nine agencies, including Homeland Security, the St. Petersburg police force, FDLE, Tampa Police, Largo Police, and others.
Regarding the Charges
Of the six who were arrested for human trafficking charges, five were also arrested for offering to commit prostitution or soliciting prostitution, and two others were charged with traveling to meet a minor for sexual activity.
Related > Busted: Arrests and Charges in Local Tampa Bay Prostitution Ring
Defending Sex Crimes
If you have been accused of sex crimes including prostitution or human trafficking, call our criminal defense team at Stechschulte Nell immediately. Board-certified attorney Ben Stechschulte will aggressively defend your criminal charges and our entire team will do our best to mitigate and reduce the penalties that may occur.
Don’t wait to build your defense team. Call our criminal defense attorneys at Stechschulte Nell at 813-280-1244 to discuss the specifics of your case today.
