Polk County Sting Arrests 266 in Sex Crimes Operation

Polk County Sheriff's Office authorities arrested 266 people, including Tampa fitness business owner and social media influencer Craig Long, during a multiagency undercover operation targeting prostitution, human trafficking, and crimes involving minors on April 22.

The weeklong effort, dubbed "Polk Around and Find Out," resulted in 439 charges, with 298 felonies and 141 misdemeanors, according to the sheriff's office. Suspects hailed from 11 states, Puerto Rico, and several countries, and investigators identified several potential human trafficking victims, who received assistance from nonprofit organizations such as One More Child and the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking.

Craig Long, 41, owner of Craig Long Fitness in Tampa, was among 108 people charged with soliciting prostitution. Officials said he arranged to meet an undercover detective posing as a sex worker, offered money for sexual services, and was taken into custody at the location. Long has approximately 125,000 followers on Instagram and more than 500,000 on TikTok.

At a press conference announcing the results, Sheriff Grady Judd highlighted Long's arrest and displayed a photograph of him posing with...