Sting operations are regularly conducted all throughout Florida. These elaborate efforts by law enforcement agents require considerable resources and planning, which makes it crucial for police to get the results they are looking for.
Because of this, it is not unusual for sting operations to result in a high number of arrests and an even high number of charges that are filed. Casting such a wide net and filing as many charges as possible increases the likelihood that more people will be convicted or plead to more offenses, which makes the operation look like a noteworthy success.
For instance, recently in Florida, a sting operation resulted in the arrest of 18 men. Reports note that they were each arrested after responding to online ads purportedly advertising meet-ups with underage girls and boys. However, it is not known what information was actually in the ad.
Men who responded to the ad were told to come to an undisclosed location to meet up with the person they believed to be a minor. However, when they showed up, they were met by the police.
The 18 men were arrested and charged with a wide range of serious offenses, from traveling to meet a minor to online solicitation.
To make the situation even more sensational, a couple of the men arrested worked for SeaWorld and Walt Disney World. The names of the men were released and they either lost their jobs or were placed on unpaid leave.
In news reports, law enforcement agencies were all too excited to announce that their efforts paid off in the form of nearly 20 arrests, several felony charges and the fact that people working in jobs at high-profile attractions were identified and punished as a result.
While this may be the story in news reports, there is so much more to these cases, particularly for those arrested in the stings. It is crucial to remember that these operations can involve critical holes, shortcuts and even violations of standard procedures committed in the interest of making a more impressive headline.
If you are in this situation, you need to understand the importance of consulting an attorney to challenge the case against you to seek a reduction or dismissal of charges.