Winter Haven, Florida – Sheriff Grady Judd will hold a press conference at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025, at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center, located at 1891 Jim Keene Blvd in Winter Haven. He will release full details from a major nine-day undercover operation titled “Fool Around and Find Out”, which led to the arrest of 255 individuals involved in crimes ranging from human trafficking and child exploitation to illegal immigration.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office conducted the operation in partnership with multiple local police departments, fellow sheriff’s offices, Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The results are alarming:
141 people arrested for soliciting prostitutes 93 charged with offering to commit prostitution Four of those were identified as human trafficking victims and were referred to One More Child and Heartland for Children 10 individuals arrested for aiding, abetting, or transporting prostitutes 11 arrested for traveling to meet minors for sex or other child-related sex offenses 36 of those arrested are in the U.S. illegally
Among those arrested is Anthony Cobo, who was charged after arriving at an undercover location and allegedly offering $800 for sex acts. According to the affidavit, Cobo made contact with an undercover detective posing as a sex worker on the website “listcrawler.eu.” He agreed to meet for sex in exchange for cash and communicated with the detective via a phone number registered in the Tampa area.
On the night of the operation, Cobo arrived at the arranged location around 11:17 p.m. The detective confirmed the deal, accepted the $800 in cash, and deputies then took Cobo into custody without incident. He was read his Miranda Rights and reportedly declined to make a statement.
Cobo was charged with offering to commit prostitution and transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center. His case is one of dozens involving individuals who used escort websites to seek paid sex. Some arrived with drugs, weapons, or children in tow. Several, like Cobo, offered unusually high amounts of money.
“This isn’t just about prostitution,” said one PCSO official. “It’s about the dark web of crime that supports it—human trafficking, exploitation, and predators looking for children. We’re shining a light into that darkness.”
Other suspects included Elizabeth Mendez, who allegedly agreed to a $450 encounter, and Michaela Mchugh, who brought methamphetamine and marijuana along with her to a meeting with an undercover detective. Eric Corliss was arrested after attempting to solicit sex from what he thought was a 15-year-old girl—he now faces multiple felonies.
Sheriff Judd’s office has confirmed that two press releases and all 255 mugshots will be made available shortly after the media briefing begins. The public is encouraged to attend the conference or follow the PCSO’s official channels for more updates.
Daily Ridge will continue to follow this developing story and provide full coverage as new information is released.
