POLK COUNTY, Fla. — 16 men were arrested during a child pornography operation dubbed “Operation Guardians of Innocence V.”
"Those arrested in this operation create the demand that sustains a child pornographic exploitation distribution pipeline that traumatized children across the world," Judd said. "Their behavior is disgusting."
According to a press release, the men are facing more than 1,400 felony charges related to the operation. Those arrested include husbands, fathers, a pharmacist, a nurse and two theme park employees, the release said.
Some of the crimes involved children younger than 2 years old.
“These images are not just pictures of children without clothes," Judd said. "These videos and photographs are horrific images of children being forced to expose their genitalia and forced to perform sex acts – images of children being raped. Those who upload and share child pornography are victimizing children over and over again. Those arrested in this operation create the demand that sustains a child pornographic exploitation distribution pipeline that traumatizes children across the world. Their behavior is disgusting.”
Those arrested were:
Nabor Molina
Joshua Johnson
Stephen Lilly
Julian Strong
Justin Hazan
Arlandres Sims
Edgardo Cancela
Monty Cottengain
Landen Ulrich
John Aziz
Herberto Santiago
Scott Bradley
Gary Bennett II
Evan Sharpe
Jonathon Richards
Jose Vertoli Llanes
