DoorDash driver among 8 arrested in Hernando County human trafficking bust: 'They're monsters'
BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - Eight men are facing charges after a six-day human trafficking operation in Hernando County.
On Thursday morning, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said undercover detectives posing as juveniles between 11 and 15 years old were either solicited or enticed by individuals online to engage in sexual conduct.
"They either did it through payment, prostitution-type stuff, or just casual encounters," he said.
The Hernando County sheriff says eight men were arrested during a recent undercover sting.
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The sheriff added that those who were arrested admitted that they engaged in conversations to have sexual conduct with the "minors" they believed they were communicating with online.
According to Neinhuis, six of the eight men arrested were from Hernando County.
He added that DoorDash driver Erick Diguadio battered an undercover detective who was staged as a decoy by grabbing her inappropriately. Diguadio was charged with human trafficking, battery on a deputy, use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony, attempted lewd and lascivious battery.
The other men arrested include Troy Hartman, who the sheriff said showed up in his Verizon work truck on his way to repair a cell tower, Jerry Berios, the owner of "New York’s Finest Barbershop" in Hernando County, and James Brand, a registered sex offender who Neinhuis said has prior arrests for traveling to meet a minor.
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According to Neinhuis, Jarrod Alamo, another man charged during the operation, left his 2-year-old child at home with his sister-in-law to meet the "minor."
Sean Dooley, Juan Romero and Jeremy Burke were also arrested during the undercover sting.
FDLE Assistant Commissioner Lee Massie said the images and the information the investigators have to listen to during these types of cases are horrific.
"As you look at these images of these monsters and that’s exactly what they are – monsters – what we don’t have is another board over here with images of live victims and the reason we don’t have that over here on a board next to us is because of the great work they have done," Massey stated.
"When these people are in prison or in custody they cannot hurt another child," Neinhuis stated.
He added that there is no way to know what the deputies may have prevented by arresting these men during the sting.
Neinhuis said parents should be involved and pay attention to what their children are doing, especially when it comes to the internet, social media and gaming devices.
He went on to say that it’s important to know where your children are going and who they are meeting because the men arrested were going to meet undercover detectives they thought were juveniles at a public location.
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