The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has successfully completed a 90-day human trafficking operation with noteworthy outcomes, demonstrating remarkable effort.
More than 120 arrests were made, and 28 victims were rescued during Operation Renewed Hope, led by the Human Trafficking Squad.
Over the past three months, detectives engaged in various investigations, employing both undercover streetwalker and hotel/motel operations, as well as online chats where investigators posed as minors available for sex.
Notably, the investigators also assumed roles as guardians selling children for sex. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister highlighted the operation’s strategic timing over the holidays, emphasizing the need to protect children who are out of school and more likely to be online during this period.
Sheriff Chronister expressed his commitment to ensuring that individuals seeking to exploit the holiday season for human trafficking activities would face legal consequences. A total of 123 people were arrested during the operation, facing charges related to human trafficking.
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The sheriff revealed a diverse range of occupations among those arrested, including a teacher, nurse, basketball coach, and an individual employed by a spiritual organization. In a stern statement, Sheriff Chronister denounced these individuals, stating that they had betrayed the community’s trust.
Operation Renewed Hope specifically targeted the driving force behind prostitution, aiming to dismantle the networks facilitating human trafficking. Sheriff Chronister urged the public to report any suspicions of human trafficking, emphasizing the collective responsibility to combat such crimes.
Highlighting the awareness among the suspects of the illegality of their actions, Sheriff Chronister noted that some went to extreme lengths, such as discarding their cell phones or relocating them before engaging in illegal activities.
The sheriff concluded by emphasizing the importance of holding these individuals accountable for their wrongdoing in order to combat human trafficking effectively.
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