- Three
Disney World employees were among those arrested in an underage sex sting, officials say. - In addition to the two men and one woman, the Polk County Sheriff's Office also arrested 14 others.
- Disney representatives told the Orlando Sentinel that two of the suspects were on unpaid leave.
Several Disney World workers were arrested this week in an underage sex sting in
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said that Savannah McGrew, 29, and Jonathan McGrew, 34, are accused of trying to engage in a threesome with a 13-year-old girl. They told deputies upon being arrested that they worked as custodians at Disney World's Hollywood Studios. An unnamed Disney spokesperson told the Orlando Sentinel that Savannah and Jonathan were on unpaid leave from the company at the time of their arrests.
Representatives for Disney World did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Kenneth Javier Aquino, 26, was also arrested after he attempted to meet up with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl for sex, Judd said. According to the sheriff, Aquino arrived wearing a Disney polo shirt, swimming trunks, and Crocs. Aquino told deputies that he is a lifeguard at Disney World's Animal Kingdom Lodge hotel, though an unnamed Disney spokesperson said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday that Aquino did not work for the company.
They are among 17 people charged in "Operation Child Protector," in which undercover officers from multiple law-enforcement agencies posed as children online to connect with suspects.
Sheriff Judd gave a press conference about the undercover operation on Tuesday, and emphasized the importance of internet safety for children.
"You've got to know who your children are talking to, who they're communicating with," he said during the conference. "There are several professional apps that you can as a parent get."
"I tell parents: be a parent," he continued. "Be all up in your child's business. Know who their friends are, and know where they're communicating. It's the only way to keep these folks away because they know how to talk to kids. They have charisma, they have personality, and it's frightening how convincing they can be."