For over a decade, Sheriff Grady Judd has been "fighting sex trafficking" in Polk County—Florida's fourth largest county by area and eighth largest by population—through high-profile human trafficking stings and dramatic YouTube videos. Judd even maintains his own YouTube channel, where he recounts recent arrests with flair, displaying mugshots on large placards and issuing widely distributed press releases. His most recent sting targeted Asian massage parlors, sparking significant controversy within advocacy spaces. Referred to as “The Joe Arpaio of Florida,” Judd has both staunch supporters and vocal critics.
Criticisms and Concerns
While some applaud his tough-on-crime approach, many advocates argue that these stings often blur the line between consensual sex work and trafficking, potentially harming those involved rather than helping. Critics claim Judd’s tactics criminalize marginalized communities and increase risks for vulnerable individuals, who may be less likely to seek assistance. These operations, frequently conducted without significant input from support organizations, have raised concerns about racial profiling, misallocation of resources, and the unintended consequences of broad enforcement measures.
Polk County Crime Overview
Polk County has experienced varying crime rates in recent years. Polk County, Florida, has a crime rate that is higher than the national average but varies within the state. Crime rates also vary across the county, with the relatively high-income southwest area generally experiencing lower crime rates than less affluent regions. Historically, Polk County has also been a hub for methamphetamine activity. In 2021, "Operation Dirty Water" resulted in the seizure of over $50 million worth of methamphetamine linked to the Juarez Mexican Drug Cartel.
Who is Sheriff Grady Judd?
Grady Judd has served as Polk County Sheriff since January 4, 2005, and enjoys substantial local support, as evidenced by his re-election to a sixth term in 2024 with nearly 84% of the vote. Judd’s gruff and direct communication style, showcased in press conferences and media appearances, resonates with many conservative residents concerned about crime. His tenure, however, has not been without controversy. In 2024, reports emerged alleging that detectives under his supervision dismissed reports of child sexual abuse, raising serious concerns about departmental oversight and accountability. Critics have also described his tactics as heavy-handed, and complaints of questionable practices have persisted within the department.
Sheriff Judd has been celebrated in the Florida Anti Trafficking narrative and was invited to be the Keynote Speaker at the 2024 Human Trafficking Summit where he proudly detailed his agencies efforts to combat trafficking.
“During the four-year span from 2018 to 2022, my agency conducted six undercover investigations. We arrested 751 individuals. 346 of these arrests were Johns or individuals seeking a prostitute.”
And as an aside, he stated,
“And we also identified and rescued 23 human trafficking victims.”
Do The Math
Over four years between 2018 and 2022, Polk County’s human trafficking stings led to the arrest of 751 individuals. Of these, 346 were clients, 23 were officially identified and "rescued" as trafficking victims, and the remaining 382 were adult consensual sex workers who ended up in jail rather than receiving support or access to services.
These numbers reveal a troubling imbalance: the focus on sweeping stings has primarily impacted consenting adults rather than effectively addressing trafficking. With the vast majority of those arrested being either clients or consensual sex workers, the operation’s impact on actual trafficking prevention seems questionable. Instead of receiving the tailored support or assistance needed to safely transition out of sex work, these 382 individuals faced incarceration and potential criminal records, which can severely limit future opportunities and deepen vulnerability.
This approach, which emphasizes arrests and large-scale operations, raises serious questions about effectiveness. If only 23 individuals were identified as trafficking victims out of 751 arrests, it suggests that the operation might be doing more harm than good by conflating trafficking with consensual sex work. Rather than dismantling trafficking networks or rescuing victims, these stings appear to target consenting adults who may not only lose their freedom but are further distanced from services that could provide meaningful support. In terms of preventing trafficking, these results highlight the need for a shift in focus—one that prioritizes victim-centered approaches, collaborative support systems, and policies that differentiate between trafficking and consensual work.
To Harm or Not to Harm
Human trafficking stings, such as those led by Sheriff Judd, have complex and often harmful impacts on trafficking survivors, consensual sex workers, and service providers. These operations, while intended to combat exploitation, frequently fail to differentiate between trafficking victims and consensual sex workers. For survivors of trafficking, this conflation can lead to arrests that compound their trauma, complicate their legal situations, and deter them from seeking help or cooperating with authorities, undermining their recovery and access to essential services. For consensual sex workers, stings can lead to criminal records, fines, and incarceration, pushing their work further underground and increasing risks of violence and exploitation. This environment also discourages them from reporting crimes committed against them due to fear of legal repercussions. Service providers, who rely on trust and open communication with these communities, are often adversely affected as well. Aggressive enforcement tactics strain these relationships, making it harder for providers to reach those in need. The fallout from these stings diverts valuable resources away from long-term support and advocacy efforts, ultimately hindering the very mission of protecting and assisting vulnerable individuals.
The recent massage parlor sting in Polk County, resulting in the arrest of 21 individuals on prostitution-related charges, are representative of the complicated narratives that surround sex work and sex trafficking and carry several potential long-term impacts for those involved. Legally, individuals convicted of such offenses may acquire criminal records, which can significantly hinder future employment opportunities, housing applications, and access to certain social services. For non-U.S. citizens, such as some of those arrested, criminal convictions can lead to visa revocations, deportation proceedings, and challenges in re-entering the United States. Socially and economically, publicized arrest records often lead to stigmatization, impacting personal relationships and community standing. Additionally, a criminal record can limit job prospects, leading to financial instability and difficulties in securing stable employment. The psychological effects are also profound; the experience of arrest, legal proceedings, and potential incarceration can cause significant emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, and trauma. Lastly, access to support services may become more challenging, as fear of legal repercussions can deter individuals from seeking necessary health and social services, further isolating them and exacerbating their vulnerabilities.
But Prostitution is Illegal!
Grady Judd doesn’t abide any notions of adult consensual sex work in his mind numbingly foolish and uninformed public narratives but he is quick to be “The Decider” of who is - or is not - a victim of trafficking, with the very simplistic logic that “prostitution is Illegal” and therefore the harbinger to crime outbreaks. How does he come to this conclusion? He has been spoon-fed myths and misconceptions about trafficking, sex work and he most certainly hasn’t expressed any dismay that in spite of more than a decade of Human Trafficking Stings that boast hundreds of arrests with catchy titles have ultimately failed to reduce or prevent trafficking and certainly don’t prioritize the needs of victims and survivors. Notable operations include Operation March Sadness 2024 in March 2024, that led to 228 arrests and Operation Autumn Sweep, conducted in October 2024, resulting in 157 arrests related to human trafficking and prostitution offenses. Earlier sting operations, like Operation Fall Haul 2 (September 2022) resulted in 160 arrests and Operation Traffic Stop 2 (September 2023) an astonishing 219 arrests.
Victim or Villain?
The dichotomy in human trafficking stings conducted by Sheriff Grady Judd, where both adult consensual sex workers and trafficking victims are arrested, reflects a complex and often problematic approach to policing sex work and trafficking. Although prostitution is illegal, there is a significant difference between consensual adult sex work and human trafficking. In the pursuit of high arrest numbers, these operations frequently fail to differentiate between the two, leading to inflated figures that capture both consensual workers and victims of exploitation.
On one hand, law enforcement justifies these stings as a way to combat human trafficking and rescue victims. The language used in press releases and media coverage often frames all arrests as part of a broader fight against trafficking. This approach can create a perception of greater success and urgency in "cleaning up" communities, which appeals to public fears about exploitation. High arrest numbers help bolster the narrative that significant action is being taken against trafficking, even though these operations may not always target traffickers or identify trafficking survivors accurately.
On the other hand, some advocates argue that sweeping adult consensual workers into these stings causes significant harm. Arresting consensual sex workers under the guise of trafficking stings not only criminalizes them but also pushes them further into the margins, increasing their vulnerability. Trafficking survivors, too, are often re-traumatized by arrests and legal entanglements, facing additional barriers to support and recovery. The approach effectively conflates the two groups, often overlooking the real traffickers and putting vulnerable individuals at greater risk.
This dichotomy reveals the tension between the stated goal of protecting victims and the unintended consequence of criminalizing vulnerable individuals. The pursuit of large-scale operations and high arrest counts may yield dramatic numbers and headlines, but they can also obscure the nuanced reality of trafficking and fail to distinguish those in need of support from those simply seeking to make a living through consensual adult work. Ultimately, this approach highlights the need for more precise, trauma-informed methods that focus on actual traffickers while supporting rather than penalizing consensual sex workers and trafficking survivors.
Its time to talk
It’s time for Sheriff Grady Judd to reckon with the consequences of his high-profile, heavy-handed approach to human trafficking stings. While his methods have captured attention and yielded large arrest numbers, they’ve also harmed vulnerable individuals—survivors of trafficking and consensual sex workers alike. The criminalization of these populations under the guise of trafficking intervention is a practice that demands reform.
“Sheriff Judd, if you are truly committed to protecting the most vulnerable, we urge you to meet personally with those whose lives have been shattered by your policies. Hear directly from the individuals and families affected by these operations, whose futures have been compromised, not by criminal intent, but by systemic failures to distinguish between trafficking victims, consensual adult workers, and actual traffickers. This time of year would be a great place to start. With your departments easy access to the current locations of the 700+ people that were arrested between 2018 and 2022, we would love to see you deliver a holiday meal to their families and see where they are...if you can find them."
We are WITH YOU in the fight against the exploitation of the people who are most vulnerable and marginalized. We can find common ground from which to move forward. Sex Workers and Survivors are not your enemies! And yes - we fear you. We can ALL - only through meaningful dialogue that seeks to truly understand the lived experiences of those impacted - have meaningful discourse for change be achieved. Let’s push for a compassionate, trauma-informed approach to trafficking enforcement—one that supports victims and targets real traffickers, rather than inflating numbers at the expense of those already on society’s margins.
It’s time for Polk County to lead by example, beginning with accountability and reform within its own ranks, starting with Sheriff Grady Judd.
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