JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) Vice Unit concluded a multi-day crackdown this month targeting individuals attempting to pay for sex. Labeled “Operation Naughty List,” the sting resulted in 25 arrests as part of an ongoing effort to combat solicitation of sex in the city.
The four-day operation utilized undercover officers stationed at various locations across Jacksonville. According to JSO, the unit encountered over 40 individuals, ultimately arresting over 20 of those who followed through with the illegal solicitation.
“I wish that I could have a day where I wasn’t picking up predators, but unfortunately, that’s not the case,” JSO Vice Sergeant Guy Daniels said.
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Among those detained was a father reportedly on his way to his son’s Christmas play. According to detectives, the man was arrested after stopping to solicit an undercover officer he believed was a sex worker.
In Florida, solicitation is a misdemeanor offense. Those caught during the operation were handcuffed, booked, and processed downtown on the same day. JSO officials emphasized that the suspects come from “all walks of life” and often underestimate the severity of the crime.
Sergeant Daniels challenged the common perception that prostitution is a victimless crime involving two consenting adults.
“That cannot be further from the truth,” Daniels said. “What you’ve got to understand is a lot of these girls are forced into this lifestyle, whether it’s through manipulation or through violence.”
JSO states that these operations will continue as they work to address the persistent issue of solicitation.
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