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Digest
Undercover sting nets 28 arrests of men accused of soliciting child sex
By TAMARA EL-KHOURY
Published April 2, 2007
POLK COUNTY A week-long undercover operation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office resulted in the arrests of 28 men on various charges relating to soliciting sex from a child. Among those arrested: three Disney employees and several men from the Tampa Bay area. The multiagency operation dubbed, "Cyber Hawk," had Internet crimes detectives use chat rooms and instant messaging to direct suspects to a specific location. According to authorities, the men thought they were meeting a child for sex. Instead, they found a waiting detective. Those arrested on various child solicitation charges include: Anthony Buromei, 32, of Tampa, Manual Antonio Hernandez, 31, of Tampa, and Shane Wietnecki, 28, of Riverview. Of the Disney employees, one was an electronics technician, another an intern for research and development and the third a part-time instructor and regional coordinator for Animal Kingdom and Cool Kids Inc. "These deviants came to the undercover location to have sex with a child, we stopped them," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. National statistics show one in seven children has received an online sexual solicitation.
[Last modified April 2, 2007, 00:24:23]
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by Viamund
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04/04/07 06:51 PM
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How loathsome and disgusting these people are who attempt to entrap people only looking for consensual sex. If it is so popular to engage in intergenerational sex then it is time to stop making it a criminal offense.
All consensual sex is the same
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by Pops
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04/02/07 08:36 PM
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28 republicans off the street. Good.
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by Amber
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04/02/07 04:51 PM
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There are so many child predators out there. Im Only 17 and they just keep coming not only on the internet as well as in general
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by Creo-que-si?
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04/02/07 03:52 PM
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Could it be that there are thousands of bright, computer savvy kids out there seeking - and finding - sex? And that these stings only nail the dumbest fraction of a percent of the cooperating adults? Maybe these stings should go after these bad kids?
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by andy
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04/02/07 03:13 PM
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Because Disney Lawyers probably won't let them be named until they are convicted in a court of law
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by Dubious
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04/02/07 02:53 PM
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I don't believe for a minute that these cops don't lie nonstop to lure and entice their victims. Since the cops are keeping the "logs," they can edit them to say anything they want. Easy way for a lazy cop to claim a slug of arrests.
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by Josie
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04/02/07 12:48 PM
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You need to list all their names on the front page. Let people know they can't hide from this crime. Then follow up by publishing their trials one by one for all to see. It may stop someone else on the edge from making this terrible choice.
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by joe
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04/02/07 11:52 AM
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The Disney employees names were Dopey, Goofy, and Dumbo
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by pj
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04/02/07 11:44 AM
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why just disney names you are wondering about...how about listing all the names...guess just listing the local ones...shoot them or how about public hanging for these pervs!!!
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by debbie
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04/02/07 11:39 AM
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Oh, this is so very wrong. We have Baynews9 showing the mug shot of a 6 YEAR OLD arrested the other day but the St. Pete Time is withholding the names of Disney employees' who were wanting to have sex with a child.
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by Dean
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04/02/07 10:02 AM
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The question is why weren't all of the 28 names listed?
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by Bob
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04/02/07 09:45 AM
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My guess as to why the Disney employees' names weren't mentioned is they don't live in the Tampa Bay area. The three that were named are from Tampa and Riverview. I doubt that it's some "Protect Disney" conspiracy.
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by Will
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04/02/07 09:07 AM
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Seems wrong that you left out the names of the Disney employees. Money scares even you...
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by John
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04/02/07 08:17 AM
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The names gives are the ones from the Tampa Bay area. Obviously, the Disney employees are from Orlando. Check for an AP story, or from the Orlando newspaper, to get other names. Or maybe TheSmokingGun.com might have them. Still, sickos were caught!
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by ann
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04/02/07 07:48 AM
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why weren't the Disney employees' names given?????
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by Barbara
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04/02/07 07:27 AM
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BEFORE RELEASE,TATTOO THE LETTER P on their forehead ....low between the eye brows so we can all spot them in a crowd.Teach the kids what the P stands for and you just might save a few.
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by DEE
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04/02/07 06:52 AM
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Great job we need these sickos taken down keep up the great work love seeing tax dollars work this way
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by Bud
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04/02/07 06:26 AM
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Why didn't this report name the Disney employees? It named the other ones!!!
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