POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A former Clearfield man and a local food concessionaire was arrested along with 91 other suspects after a four-day investigation into an online sex ring in Florida, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Gary Bailey, 44, of Orlando, Fla. was arrested May 11 when he arrived at the undercover location after answering an ad posted by an undercover detective who was posing as a prostitute. Bailey was charged with one count of soliciting prostitution.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said from May 8-11, undercover detectives targeted online e-commerce Web sites with men and women who advertise to commit prostitution and who solicit others for prostitution.
Among the 92 suspects, according to Judd, were 12 people who were commonly known as “pimps” and who brought prostitutes to the undercover location; 39 people who were prostitutes; and 39 people who were “johns,” or those who wanted to pay for sex from prostitutes.
A 45-year-old youth minister, Samuel Yoon of California was among those arrested when he arrived at the undercover location after answering an ad posted by an undercover detective, which was offering females for sale, said Judd.
Yoon went to the location to have sex with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. He is a youth minister at the Holy Cows youth ministry, NewCommunityMissionChurch in San Leandro, Calif. He was in Orlando at a youth ministry conference, said Judd.
Yoon was charged with one count each of traveling to meet a minor, use of computer to solicit guardian, use of two-way communication device to commit a felony and offer to commit lewdness.
In addition, two married men were arrested after arriving at the undercover location to meet with prostitutes. Both of their wives reported them missing to law enforcement when they didn’t return home, said Judd.
One of the men, 21-year-old Mohammed Ahmed of Illinois, was in Orlando on his honeymoon. The other man, 48-year-old Michael Kempfer of Orlando, was arrested when he brought a 15-year-old girl to the undercover location as a prostitute.
“Prostitution is illegal, and those who commit or who derive proceeds from this crime in PolkCounty can expect to go to jail. The negative social costs of prostitution hurt families, children, and communities, including the spreading of infectious diseases,” said Judd.
“The nexus between prostitution and other crime, such as illegal drugs, violence against women, and human trafficking is a real problem. Whether it is on the street or online, prostitution is illegal and we will continue to investigate and arrest those involved.”
Click here to read the full press release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.