Three men who are employed at Walt Disney World have been arrested as part of a sting operation which busted 19 other offenders.
Police in Lake County, Florida have been conducting the investigation for weeks, with officers posing online as children or the parents of children they wanted to “set up” for a meeting with the men. The sting was arranged at a vacant home, much like the busts on “To Catch A Predator”, and many of the men arrived with gifts for the children they thought they were meeting, who were as young as 13. The gifts included flavored vodka, marijuana, chocolate, jewelry, and a Happy Meal.
“Upon arrival at the location, the suspects were immediately taken into custody,” Sheriff Gary Borders said in a statement. “They never learn. As long as they’re out there, we’ll continue to work these operations and put them in jail.”
The Disney World employees–49-year old Robert Kingsolver, 32-year old Patrick Holgerson, and 32-year old Joel Torres–have been placed on unpaid leave by the park, according to a spokesperson. They have been charged with several crimes, including traveling to meet a minor for sex. One of the men arrested, 47-year old David Griffith, admitted to a previous sexual encounter with a 7-year old in another county, which was set up by the child’s mother. Officials say they have emails sent between Griffith and the woman to corroborate his story, but it is not known what other charges he will face.
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