Three Walt Disney World employees were among the 22 Florida men busted this week in a child sex sting.
The arrests came after a weeklong operation, termed “Be Mine,” in which Central Florida cybercrimes unit officers posed as children or parents of children in Internet forums. Officers made arrangements to meet only when suspects suggested sexual interactions. Some of the men arrived for the “dates” with alcohol, chocolate, marijuana, condoms and — in one case — a Happy Meal.
“Upon arrival at the location, the suspects were immediately taken into custody,” the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
The Disney employees were identified as Patrick Holgerson, 32, Joel Torres, 32, and Robert Kingsolver, 49. Disney spokeswoman Marilyn Waters told NBC News all three have been placed on unpaid leave pending the outcome of their trials.
David Griffith, one of the non-Disney employees arrested, later confessed he arranged to meet up with a 7-year-old girl in another county for sex. Police then uncovered emails between him and the girl’s mother, supporting his claims. The girl was then located and claimed her mother is sexually abusive.
Lake County Sheriff Gary Borders told Orlando’s NBC station the “Be Mine” findings are “somewhat discouraging.” He added, “But I will tell you as long as those bad guys are out there trying to target our children here in this county we will continue to do these operations.”
