Exploring ‘Disney Employees Kevin Sanders, Joshua Cummins, And, Matthew Silva Sexual Predators Arrested In Florida’ One of the 13 accused sexual predators detained during a Florida undercover operation has been identified as a Disney World employee, according to authorities.
Multiple teachers, the Disney employee, and law enforcement officers were among those apprehended in a recent undercover prostitution raid that began in central Florida last month, as CrimeOnline previously reported. It led to the rescue of at least two sex trafficking victims.
The 160 suspects were charged with 216 misdemeanors and 52 felonies as a consequence of the week-long operation, which began on August 29 and saw them reportedly agreeing to meet for sex in response to internet escort adverts.
One of those 13 members was a Disney employee, Kevin Sanders, who was taken into custody at Disney World, according to Sherrif Grady Judd with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Sanders is accused of grooming a 13-year-old girl, telling her about the sexual acts he wants, then warning the child “to be careful” because of her age.
During questioning by investigators, Sanders reportedly admitted he had been talking with a child about sex, adding that he had done this for years and that children were his “addiction.”
Sanders is facing charges of transmitting harmful material to a minor and using computer to solicit a child for sex.
“The online prostitution industry enables traffickers and allows for the continued victimization of those who are being trafficked,” Judd previously said in a statement, after the arrests.
Disney Employee Among 13 Predators Accused Of Wanting To Sexually Abuse Kids
Among the 13 sexual predators apprehended in a Florida undercover sting operation were a longtime Disney World employee and a Publix bagger, according to the police.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd claimed during a press conference on Thursday that the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Chris Hansen of “To Catch a Predator” collaborated to pursue suspects allegedly trying to “sexually abuse, groom, and corrupt” youngsters.
During the week-long operation, dubbed “Operation Cyber Guardian II,” officers posed as juvenile boys and girls — some as young as 13, Fox 13 reported.
Eight suspects showed up at an undercover location in Polk County believing they were meeting with a minor for sex, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. Police obtained warrants for the arrest of five others in different counties.
Three of the suspects thought they were chatting with a parent or legal guardian of a minor who wanted to instruct their child to engage in sexual activity or set up the minor’s intercourse with the suspect.
Together, the 13 men are accused of 41 felonies and three misdemeanors, including meeting a youngster for sex while on the road, attempting indecent battery, using a computer to lure a child, using a two-way communication device illegally, and sending sexually explicit information to a child.
The sheriff’s office reports that two of the suspects admitted to being married to the investigators, that two of them brought condoms to the undercover site, and that two of them also brought illegal substances.
Winter Garden resident Kevin Sanders, 42, was detained at Disney World, where he has worked for 16 years, and was included in those who were arrested, according to Judd.
Sanders worked at the theme park as a mobile IT support specialist, but before that, according to officials, he was employed by Disney’s Youth Education Series Program, which provides youngsters between the ages of 5 and 18 with recognized educational opportunities.
Sanders, a married father of two young children, allegedly started messaging an undercover police officer on August 29 who he thought was a 13-year-old girl. According to the sheriff’s department, he allegedly described to her the sexual activities he wanted to carry out on the youngster and warned her that because of her age, they would “have to be careful.”
According to the police, Sanders has previously communicated with undercover police officers he thought were young females, but he always broke off contact before going to meet with the child.
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He was taken into custody in Orange County and accused of using a computer to seek a youngster for sex and transferring harmful information to a juvenile.
Authorities claim that Joshua Cummins, 28, went to the undercover site under the impression that he would be seeing a 14-year-old girl for sex when he was instead caught as part of the investigation. He claimed to be a construction subcontractor working for Disney, where he was currently constructing a new roller coaster.
He was accused of trying to commit lewd battery and using a two-way communication device to meet a youngster for sex. Having posted an $18,000 bond, he was freed.
Matthew Silva, a 33-year-old Publix grocery store bagger, was detained after it was claimed that he sent an undercover police officer he thought was a 14-year-old girl sexually explicit messages and images of himself in a nude state.
Silva was accused of soliciting a juvenile for sex online and of distributing dangerous material to a minor.
Judd urged parents to monitor their children’s use of electronic gadgets that provide them access to online gaming, mobile applications, texting, or the internet. To prevent men like this from approaching your children, frequently check their gadgets and make sure parental settings are turned on.
