By Snejana Farberov. A four-day prostitution sting in Florida has led to the arrests of nearly people, among them a former Orlando police officer. The 98 arrests on charges ranging from offering to commit lewd acts to aiding and abetting prostitution, child abuse and drug possession, took place over the Memorial Day weekend in Polk County.
According to investigators, former Orlando police officer Michael Johnson, 44, was netted in the sting. When will they learn: Investigators in Polk County, Florida, arrested 98 people over the course of four days as part of a sex trafficking and prostitution sting operation. Johnson, who served on the force between and , is accused of trying to recruit a female undercover officer as a prostitute. The former cop allegedly offered to act as the woman's pimp in exchange for 25 per cent of the profits.
He then offered the would-be prostitute a better deal if she agreed to have sex with him, according to sheriff's officials. Bad cop: Former Orlando police officer Michael Johnson, 44, is accused of trying to recruit a female undercover detective as a prostitute.
The list of suspects caught in the operation targeting human trafficking included 28 alleged prostitutes, among them a year-old girl; 52 suspected clients, and 16 pimps. Of the 98 suspects, 24 were married; 15 are on public assistance; and 64 have been arrested over times before. The sting operation, aptly dubbed 'When Will You Learn,' stemmed from a arrest of suspected pimp Montavious Rakeem Postell accused of forcing a year-old runaway to commit lewd acts for his own financial gain. When deputies interviewed the girl, she revealed to them that Postell had given her drugs, beat and sexually abused her.
Investigators said in all, they have identified three potential cases of human trafficking. Frank Portlock, 56, left , was charged with trying to solicit an undercover detective for sex; Deanna Elimon, 20 right , was charged with child abuse for allegedly leaving two kids in a car while she went to have sex. Sheriff Grady Judd said some of the women arrested told officers they want to stop working as prostitutes, but they are afraid their pimps will kill them, the station WFTV reported.
