Youth Minister Among 92 Arrested in Prostitution Sting

Polk County undercover detectives arrested 92 persons in a four-day prostitution sting targeting online e-commerce sites, deputies said. 

The prostitution investigation, which began on May 8 and concluded last Saturday, May 11, targeted men and women who were advertising to commit prostitution and who were soliciting others for prostitution.

The charges range from offering to commit lewdness in which the suspects either posted online ads, or answered online ads, to aiding and abetting prostitution; deriving proceeds from prostitution; escape; traffic offenses; possession of illegal drugs; battery on a law enforcement officer and traveling to meet a minor.

Of the 92 suspects arrested:

12 suspects, commonly known as “pimps,” were arrested when they brought prostitutes to the undercover location; 39 suspects arrested were prostitutes; 39 suspects arrested were “johns” or those who wished to pay for sex from prostitutes; and 2 others were arrested when they accompanied suspects to the location, for other charges (Battery, Drug Possession).

45-year-old Samuel Yoon, of California, was arrested when he arrived at the undercover location after answering an ad posted by an undercover PCSO detective offering females for sale; he came to the location to have sex with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl; Yoon is a youth minister at the Holy Cows youth ministry, New Community Mission Church in San Leandro, California; he was in Orlando at a youth ministry conference; he was charged with one count Traveling to Meet a Minor, one count Use of Computer to Solicit Guardian, one count Use of Two-Way Communication Device to Commit Felony, one count Offer to Commit Lewdness; he has no prior arrest history.

For a full list of arrestees go HERE.

2 different married men were arrested after arriving at the undercover location to meet with who they thought were prostitutes. Both of the men’s wives ended up reporting them missing to law enforcement when they didn’t return home. One of the men, 21-year-old Mohammed Ahmed of Illinois, was in Orlando on his honeymoon.

One man, 48-year-old Michael Kempfer of Orlando, was arrested when he brought a 15-year-old girl to the undercover location as a prostitute.

“Prostitution is illegal, and those who commit or who derive proceeds from this crime in Polk County can expect to go to jail. The negative social costs of prostitution hurt families, children, and communities, including the spreading of infectious diseases. The nexus between prostitution and other crime, such as illegal drugs, violence against women, and human trafficking is a real problem. Whether it is on the street or online, prostitution is illegal and we will continue to investigate and arrest those involved,”  said Sheriff Grady Judd.