There are as many as 19 people arrested During an undercover operation targeting a child predator. The week-long undercover investigation, Operation Child Advocate VIII, began on April 20 and was initiated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and multiple law enforcement agencies.
Detectives worked with investigators from multiple sheriff’s offices, police departments and the Florida Department of Financial Services’ Criminal Investigation Division, Fox 13 reported. As many as 19 suspects, including Hicks, were arrested.
What we know about Operation Child Protector VIII
Sixteen of the suspects communicated online with and solicited people they believed to be children or children’s guardians. They are accused of traveling to have sex with minors.
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As many as three suspects, including five from outside Polk County, sent nude photos to undercover detectives. Seven of the suspects are married and three of them are veterans. Three suspects have been charged with human trafficking for offering to pay to have sex with children, Fox 13 reports.
All suspects were charged with a total of 85 felonies and eight misdemeanors.
One of the suspects was identified as Thomas Allen Hicksa person who has played Santa Claus at Christmas events in Polk County. According to an arrest affidavit, Hicks, 68, responded to an ad posted on a known prostitution website by an undercover detective offering commercial sex acts to his fictitious 15-year-old daughter.
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“We arrested Santa Claus,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “I want all the kids who are watching to know that this is not the real Santa Claus. Nonetheless, he is well known as a hired Santa in Polk County, Central Florida and Lakeland.”
Hicks was charged with human trafficking, traveling to meet a minor, using a computer to entice a child and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
