15 arrested in Florida in human trafficking operation, deputies say

ORLANDO, Fla. - More than a dozen people are facing charges after they were arrested during a Florida human trafficking operation conducted by the Hillborough County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said 15 suspects were taken into custody on charges of either soliciting sexual acts or attempting to buy sex from children across multiple online platforms and applications.

What we know:

The sheriff's office conducted a four-day undercover operation from April 21 through April 24, with detectives posing as family members of a child, claiming to be selling the child for sex, according to the sheriff's office.

Investigators also posed as children on social media and communicated with suspects, who reportedly sent explicit photos of their private parts to the individual they believed was a child and engaged in sexual conversations through text messaging or video calls. Deputies said the suspects committed the alleged crimes despite believing they were conversing with a child.

Who are the suspects?

Deputies said 12 of the men traveled to a designated location with the intent of committing crimes against a child and were arrested. The other three suspects agreed to buy sex from someone they believed was a child, but did not travel to the set location. They were later arrested on warrants related to the operation.

The suspects ranged in age from 20 to 53.

Dig deeper:

You can view photos of 14 of the suspects and the charges they face in the gallery below:

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(Credit: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

‘Crimes against kids will never be tolerated’

What they're saying:

"As technology continues to enhance and more of our children use the internet as a way to advance their education, connect with friends, and communicate with loved ones, these predators are using it to torment, manipulate, and prey on the innocent, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. "By arresting these fifteen criminals, our detectives continue to prove that crimes against kids will never be tolerated in Hillsborough County."

Big picture view:

The operation highlights the dangers of social media for children and the risks of communicating with strangers online.

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