. in the shadows of a magic kingdom where florida's orange groves give way to the concrete jungles of orlando and tampa, the business of sex for sale is booming. >> go ahead. >> one band of local police and prosecutors are fighting back. >> the message is clear, we're going to lock you up. >> welcome to polk county. >> aside from the fact that it is a public health problem, aside from the fact it is morally corrupt, the reality is these girls aren't choosing to do this on their own. >> tonight msnbc goes undercover with the with men and women of

the 0 polk county sheriffs office as they work to rescue girls and young women caught up in the underground sex trade, crackdown on the men who buy and sell sex and stop bodies cold at the polk county line. >> hands up. >> do you know what county this is? polk county. >> life is miserable for using bad judgment in polk county. >> do you think today there l change your opinion about women sold on-line. >> today will change my life, everything. ♪ >> take a ride down florida's i-4 corridor and you'll find yourself in polk county. on the culture line between big city vices and small town values. >> we don't put up with any nasty business in this community. if you want the big city stuff,

go to the big cities. all ready to do something? >> yes, sir. >> meet grady judd, sheriff of polk county. in 40 years on the job as a cop, he has waged a battle against vice crimes and human trafficking. >> we wear them out. >> to understand his values it's important to know about the place where he was born and raised. 50 years ago, this stretch of central florida was just a sleepy patch work of cattle ranches and citrus groves. then came a mouse, and with it theme parks, millions of tourists, rapid development and ultimately the business of sex for sale. >> all of a sudden we had nude dancing establishments, massage parlors. >> i'm a young depp di during part of this time went wae fight against this in this community because wait a minute, that's not the wholesome community that we wanted. >> from the outside, this may look like just another road side oasis for wary travelers, but

inside, deputies with the polk county sheriffs office are busy spinning a high-tech web to snare buyers and sellers of sex. >> this is the technology hub of the operation. >> you are seeing internal cameras we have put in place. >> it allows us to see the hotel in different angles. undercovers. >> in the spring of 2013, they we granted access to a massive sting operation here that will ultimately net more than 90 arrests for prostitution and pandering. >> our people expect us to enforce the law, period. >> state's attorney jerry hill has almost 30 years experience battling vice in central florida. >> i don't think you ever just send a signal by busting one job or doing one sting. i don't believe that sends a message. i think it is a repetitive, consistent course of conduct that makes for the sake of

argument people say maybe we want to go in to a neighboring area, but we really don't want to do business in polk county. >> most everybody has done this. >> >> reporter: lieutenant ward takes the trenches and briefs for tonight's operation. >> the most important thing right now is going to be, if you have somebody coming on the hook we have to make sure to get it on the board. >> male undercovers troll the internet looking for sex ads on websites like back page. >> this is the ad right here. this girl. >> inviting women to visit the hotel and provide sex for money. >> are you doing calls tonight? >> male undercovers pose as sellers of sex. posting their own ads on-line to lure unsuspecting johns in to the trap. >> i'm tall, blond hair, blue eyes. >> ideally undercovers will attempt to make deals for sex on the phone before the suspects

even arrive. >> for you f you drive a little further, i will do 75. i have someone on the way now. i posted an ad on to backpage.com and he's responded to one of my ads. i have charges on him. half hour 100, full hour 175. >> what's up, girl? >> meanwhile, this male undercover has an unsuspecting mark on the line. >> can we have fun and stuff or what? >> i responded to an ad for an escort. she goes by the name of black magic. she said how much time do you want and i said 30 minutes and i said how much is 30 minutes and she said $130. >> you have charges on her. >> yes, sir. >> with charges in place, black magic goes on the board along with the john and the team prepares for their arrival. >> they will come. there are periods where two or three people will come at the same time. >> outside of the hotel, officers relay details twhan

arrive. >> white male just pulled in a nissan altima with a roof rack on sglit an unsuspecting john is the first to arrive. >> did you get my text? i sent you the room number. >> he makes contact with the undercover. she gives him the room number and tries to calm his jittery nerves. >> no, i mean. it's cool. it's not a big deal. he said he was a student and never done this before. so he's trying to portray himself as he's wanting to try something new he has never done. >> if you want anything like real crazy, it's a little extra but we can talk about that. >> you think this is the first timer possibly. >> i don't know. some of them can play the game really well. >> nervous john makes his way up to 207 unaware that his every room is being observed and recorded by the polk county sheriffs office. after some small talk about sex, he hands over $100 to the

undercover. >> go ahead. >> sheriffs deputies move in and rain on his parade. >> oh, my god. please, please. >> i can't. this is please. >> do you have anything on you? >> no, no, no. >> narcotics, guns, weapons. >> no, i'm so scared. >> the first man in custody tonight is 31-year-old vinnie to friends but to sheriff judd she case number 19018. >> welcome to polk county. this is what we do to folks that violate the law in the county. we lock them up and take them to jail. >> vinnie is taken across the hallway while they reset the trap. >> she is out. walking to the front doomplt black female, long hair, white shirt, khaki shorts. >> once again, the unsuspecting

woman is documented as she makes her way to the date at room 207. the undercover secured charges against her and as soon as she takes his cash, sheriffs deputies move in for the arrest. >> okay. go. this 26-year-old whom we will call samantha is more than 600 miles away from her home in north carolina. with only $3 in her pocket, she is now broke and busted. tonight's operation has only just begun and police already have two in custody. before the night is over they will be joined by many, many more. >> it's made to look glamorous. you are going to sneak away from your wife and you are going to come here and do smag little naughty and go back to your normal life. that's not the way it is, at all. it can help provide the power for all this?

natural gas. ♪ more than ever before, america's electricity is generated by it. exxonmobil uses advanced visualization and drilling technologies to produce natural gas... powering our lives... while reducing emissions by up to 60%. energy lives here. ♪ everything thezy or cool? "meow" or "woof"? everything the way you want it ... until boom, it's bedtime! and your mattress a battleground of thwarted desire. enter the sleep number bed. designed to let couples sleep together in individualized comfort. he's a softy. his sleep number setting is 35. you're the rock, at 60. and as your needs change over time you can adjust your bed to sleep better together. 48-month financing available through february 2 only at your local sleep number store. find your sleep number setting and know better sleep.

we chip away. making the colors of earth and sunset skies into rich interior accents. or putting the beauty of a forest in the palm of your hands... it will take you to another place... wherever you happen to be. this is the new 2014 jeep grand cherokee. it is the best of what we're made of. well-qualified lessees can lease the 2014 grand cherokee laredo 4x4 for $359 a month. [ chicken caws ] [ male announcer ] when your favorite food starts a fight, fight back fast with tums. heartburn relief that neutralizes acid on contact and goes to work in seconds. ♪ tum, tum tum tum tums!

on the outskirts of orlando, in florida, a man pulls off the highway and heads to a hotel. he makes his way up to a room in search of sex for sale. but instead he soon finds himself in handcuffs and bound for the polk county jail. >> i told him what my name was. he introduced himself as vinnie. >> 31-year-old vinnie tells police this is his first time buying sex. they suspect he's either lying or extremely unlucky. >> did it sound like he was a first timer? >> he wasn't as experienced as some are. but i don't know if that would be his first time. he seemed nervous and unsure of how things are supposed to go down. so it's possible. >> i'm sorry. >> nervous young man is cooperative but not exactly forth coming.

>> i was just a kid one time staying up here to go to school and i'm staying in my motor home and i just went for a drive and just to see. i didn't -- >> were you just interested in regular sex? >> i thought i was going to -- i don't know. i have never done anything like this before. i'm not lying. i swear to god. i saw an ad on-line and i read it and called the number and i didn't think anyone was going to answer and i was just going to see and -- >> you brought 100 bucks. you had to expect something. >> i wasn't 100% sure. she said a half hour. >> what were you wanting for 100 bucks? >> i wasn't honestly sure what to expect. i wasn't really planning to have actual sex. no, i was not. >> what kind of sex were you planning to have. >> i thought i was going to get a massage and i don't know what

else it would have entailed but i wasn't sure. >> vinnie may or may not have been sure what $100 can buy on backpage but one thing is for sure, he just bought a one-way ticket to jail. >> it's made to look glamorous. you are going to sneak away from your wife and come here and do something naughty and go back to your normal life. that's not the way it is at all. the state of florida has a public records law. if you are arrested you will be a public record for the rest of your life. >> with vinnie in cooler, they turn to the female in custody, 26-year-old samantha. among her affects they find condoms, vaseline and box cutter. >> why would someone carry a box cutter? >> personal protection. >> wa were you here for. >> companionship. >> what do you mean, companionship. >> companionship, company.

>> you didn't discuss anything in the room like i will do anything just not andleal. you didn't talk about that. >> i did say that. >> talk mbt that. >> i'm here to keep their company. those are things i won't do. >> you shouldn't be out here doing this any way. it's dangerous. >> samantha is less than forthcoming with the police but tells our producer she's been selling herself since she was a child. >> i have been doing this since like i said about 13, 12. >> you work by yourself? >> yes. >> so there's no guy looking for you right now because i saw a guy in the hallway. >> he's not mine. not with me. >> really? >> really. >> samantha insists she's operating independently, despite the fact she is 600 miles from home with only $3 in her pocket. >> so you are doing this by choice? >> i'm not being forced to do anything. >> you are not?

>> no. and you have $3 in your purse you are choosing to do this. do you know girls who choose to do this? because it is a good way to make a living. >> i don't know nobody else's reasons. >> if you are 12 and you have doing that since 12 you are saying you did it by choice. >> no. >> no, you don't think so. >> samantha reveals for years she was molested by a relative. at 16 pregnant with his baby she ran away from home. sadly it's an all-to-common tale for women working in the underground sex trade. >> this is a tough life. yes or no? >> i mean, life isn't easy. >> there's nothing that you want to rewrite in terms of your life or if you had choices when you were 12? >> i mean, that was the situation i was in back then. so -- >> you don't think that

situation has anything to do with you sitting here now. >> it may. >> most of the women i have interviewed who have been trafficked had something terrible to do to them when they were a child and they think there is a situation for. this is not the life you chose for yourself, is it? >> no. >> they engage the would be john in the same holding pen. >> i have to ask this one last time. >> and show the painful reality that lies behind the smiles of women who sell themselves on-line. >> this young lady over here is caught in the opposite situation. do you know how most of the girls -- do you have any empathy for the girls that sell themselves. do you think they do it by choice? >> i don't know. >> you don't know. have you ever given it any thought. do you think the girls you are looking at are making career choices? >> no. >> why do you think they are doing it? would you sell yourself for $100

for a half hour? >> no. >> what does that tell you about somebody if they are selling themselves on-line to complete and utter strangers? >> it's not good. >> you wake up every morning and you have choices to make. the deeper message is that if you engage in the conduct, you are engaging in human trafficking. that's not acceptable. >> polk county has no sympathy for the johns that come here to buy. >> zero. zero sympathy and you will see that in this operation. >> will that give you something to think about the next time you are curious and go on backpages. >> definitely. >> has there been a lesson learned here? >> a big one. >> what happened? >> i was sold. >> what do you mean you were sold? >> my mother got drugs for me and gave me to that guy. for the drugs. across america people are taking charge

of their type 2 diabetes with non-insulin victoza®. for a while, i took a pill to lower my blood sugar, but it didn't get me to my goal. so i asked my doctor about victoza®. he said victoza® is different than pills. victoza® is proven to lower blood sugar and a1c. it's taken once-a-day, any time, and comes in a pen. and the needle is thin. victoza® is not for weight loss, but it may help you lose some weight. victoza® is an injectable prescription medicine that may improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise. it is not recommended as the first medication

to treat diabetes and should not be used in people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. victoza® has not been studied with mealtime insulin. victoza® is not insulin. do not take victoza® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to victoza® or any of its ingredients. symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat, fainting or dizziness, very rapid heartbeat, problems breathing or swallowing, severe rash or itching. tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. serious side effects may happen in people who take victoza®, including inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which may be fatal. stop taking victoza® and call your doctor right away if you have signs of pancreatitis, such as severe pain that will not go away in your abdomen or from your abdomen to your back, with or without vomiting. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you have any medical conditions.

taking victoza® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. the most common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, and headache. some side effects can lead to dehydration, which may cause kidney problems. if your pill isn't giving you the control you need ask your doctor about non-insulin victoza®. it's covered by most health plans. sheriffs investigators are in the early hours of a massive

human trafficking sgling hey, girl, is this tiffany. what's going on? >> i'm at a hotel. >> how much did you say. >> for you, i'll do 75. >> are you down with anything or -- >> i promise, you will not be disappointed. >> after two quick arrests in the afternoon, detectives brace themselves for what will soon become a very busy evening. following a long day at work, this 26-year-old man juan is looking to blow off some steam with someone he thinks is a woman for hire. but unfortunately for mr. mehlo she is an undercover cop and he's now under arrest. >> do you have anything on you, guns, weapons? just here for sex. i told her. >> that's fine. >> police hustle him across the hall for processing, and quickly reset the trap. >> gordon's got one here now and danielle has one. >> he has one here, too. >> okay. >> with multiple subjects on the

way, the investigation begins to take on the dynamics of an air traffic control tower. >> may have a couple on top of each other. hispanic female is on the door and the black male is right behind her. this is going to be interesting. >> they are getting on the elevator together. >> the hallway is crowded with players in the cat and mouse game. the woman senses something is not right and turns back toward the exit. but the male is unwilling to leave without getting what he came for. >> get out there and grab her. >> police have enough evidence for charges on the women, so they apprehend her in the hallway, while the female undercover makes a deal for sex with the john in the room. >> show me your hands. keep them here. do you have anything illegal on you? >> no. >> put your hands behind your back. >> 21-year-old mohammad hails from the suburbs of chicago. he tells police he's in florida with his wife celebrating their honeymoon.

>> she was sleeping and i told her i was going to leave for a little bit and i looked on-line and i promise it won't happen again. >> apparently he told her he was going out for a little bit. when we were in there talking he ask canned if i was going to be here all week and he said i will be coming to see you all week then. >> his cell phone begins to ring nonstop. >> my wife is calling. may i please answer it. ? my god, she's going to be. >> you are an adult, right? you are a grown man. stop crying. >> on the other end, his bride is all alone in a hotel room wondering where her new husband is. >> any way i could -- >> be quiet. >> once ahmed is processed and formally charged he's allowed to contact his wife. >> i'm with police right now. i want you to know please be

safe, okay. i'm not done. i need to let her know. i said don't talk to my mom. meanwhile, the beat goes on. >> we should have a male in the parking lot now. >> once again nch they have two more targets on the way up. >> a female in the door just got dropped off. >> he is walking in the doors now. >> they are getting in the elevator together. >> oh, boy. >> they are coming down the hallway. >> two show up at the same time again at the doompl a male and female. they stood there talking to each other for a while. >> police already have charges on the male but not the female. >> all right. out this in the hallway. >> once again, they need to carefully and quickly choreograph their arrests. >> we had them open the door and bring the female in because we didn't have charges on her yet and the male took off walking down the hallway. >> go get him. >> they ran down the hall and

grabbed him because he had charges on him. >> 36-year-old man is arrested and stashed quietly in the command room while the undercover makes a deal with the female in the room next door. as soon as she agrees to $100 for an hour of sex, she is arrested. 24-year-old jacqueline press is more than 1400 miles from her home in lubbock, texas. this is her fourth arrest for prostitution. she says she has been in the life since age 15. >> jacqueline, do you know there is a series of sex slaves in america on msnbc. . >> yeah. >> have you seen it? >> yeah. >> what have you seen. >> a lot of the sex trafficking you have done. >> do you think it's a problem in this country? >> yes. >> you know that firsthand, right? why are you here tonight? >> trying to get some money and

live i guess. >> do you have kids? >> yes. >> how many? >> two. >> jacqueline claims she was first trafficked as a teenager back in texas when her mother traded her to a local pimp in exchange for drugs. >> a lot of stuff when i was younger. >> sfwhapd. >> i was sold. >> what do you mean you were sold. >> sold by my mother to a pimp. >> your mother sold you to a pimp? >> yes. >> my mother got drugs for me and gave me to that guy for the drugs. >> did you have to turn that money over to the pimp? >> yes. >> all of it? >> yes. >> you didn't keep any of it? >> no. >> how much money do you have now? how does that work? >> i don't know. >> jacqueline insists she's not under the control of a pimp but cannot account for the fact that she is more than 1400 miles from home with no money. >> are you keeping any of that

money? or are you handing it over to somebody. >> i'm keeping the money. >> than why don't you have any money. >> i don't have any money on me. i have money but not on me. >> great. great. >> jacqueline is remarkably candid, yet she seems almost numb to the reality of what her young life has become. >> you seem like you are so over it. >> yeah, over the years, after doing it so many years you get over it. >> do you really get over that trauma? >> not over the trauma but. >> you try not to think about it? >> yes. >> are you going to get out? >> yeah. >> i know definitely this is not what i want to do in life but it gets me by. that's about it. >> you drove that girl up here to commit an act of prostitution. and you enknow what she was coming up here to do. bye daddy! have a good day at school, ok?

...but what about when my parents visit? ok. i just love this one... and it's next to a park. i love it. i love it too. here's our new house... daddy! you're not just looking for a house. you're looking for a place for your life to happen. [ female announcer ] some people like to pretend a flood could never happen to them. and that their homeowners insurance protects them. [ thunder crashes ] it doesn't. stop pretending. only flood insurance covers floods. ♪ visit floodsmart.gov/pretend to learn your risk. [ blows whistle ] then spend your time chasing your point "b"...

...the war of 1812. [ bell rings ] you get to point "b", and sometimes things change. but your journey is not done. capella university is the most direct path to what's next, because our competency-based curriculum gives you what you need to move forward to your point "c". capella university. start your journey at capella.edu. for ovnights can feel califolong and lonely.dren, i miss my sister.

i miss my old school. i miss my room. i don't want special treatment. i just wanna feel normal. to help, sleep train is collecting pajamas for foster children, big and small. bring your gift to any sleep train, and help make a foster child's night a little cozier. not everyone can be a foster parent, but anyone can help a foster child. at a company that's bringing media and technology together. next is every second of nbcuniversal's coverage 0f the 2014 olympic winter games. it's connecting over one million low-income americans to broadband internet at home. it's a place named one america's most veteran friendly employers. next is information and entertainment in ways you never thought possible. welcome to what's next. comcastnbcuniversal. here's what is happening.

police have released more information on a man who opened fire in a shopping mall. ing a lar was armed with a shotgun and crude explosives. it left a mother and young man dead as well as the gunman. gas prices have dropped 3 1/2 cents this in the last two weeks. the average price of regular is $3.31 a gallon. now back to msnbc "under cover." >> on a warm night in central florida, investigators with the polk county sheriffs office are working under cover a advertising sex for sale. >> what are you looking for? hour? after hour? >> it is 10:45 p.m. when this undercover gets a call back from a would be john. he says he's in the parking lot and he wants her to come down and meet her in the parking lot.

>> i'm like walking outside meeting up with some dude in the car. that makes me nervous. i'm saying you can come to my room. if you don't like it you can leave. you don't have to stay. >> from their positions outside, police watch the man exit his vehicle and enter the hotel. >> yeah, he's walking toward the front door now. he's fixing to enter the building. >> inside, surveillance cameras follow the man in the lobby. he does not go up to the room. instead, he places yet another call to the undercover asking her, once again, to meet him downstairs. >> so i mean, are you saying you would come up to my room after i talk to you in the lobby. ? i don't understand. what are you wanting mis? police. >> police are not inclined to let him dictate the terms of the deal or blow their cover by making a scene in the lobby. >> there he is at the lobby. >> instead, they keep eyes on

him and wait for him to make the next move. >> he's still hanging out on the first floor. they have charges on him. they said if he goes to leave we can take him. >> outside police prepare for the subject to possibly slip out the back door. it seems he may have discovered he's being watched and is getting spooked. >> the guy in the lobby told the uc he ain't going to jail and got up. >> he makes tracks for a side exit. >> there he is. he is coming to the car. >> but police are lying in wait. >> sit up. bring your foot in. stand up. >> the 45-year-old is a native of morocco. but tonight, like all of the others, he will call the polk county jail home. >> is this amanda? >> reporter: a male undercover is working on booking a date with a young looking woman who goes by the name amanda. >> is it you in the pictures, first of all? >> amanda agrees to $100 for a

half hour of sex and tells the undercover she's on the way. >> i got one here. one here. said she is coming up now. >> at first glance, amanda appears to be very young, possibly even a juvenile. >> if i heard right, she agreed for sex. >> as soon as she commits to the deal and takes the cash, sheriffs deputies move in for the arrest. >> go ahead and take her. a quick look at amanda's i.d. tells investigators she is not a juvenile. she's 20 years old and more than 1200 miles away from her home in upstate new york. >> what type of vehicle? >> investigators quickly turn their attention to the car that delivered her to the hotel. >> sheriffs office. hands up. >> the man behind the wheel is 36-year-old pittman. police suspect he maybe amanda's pimp. >> they are bringing him to the

side door now. edson is bringing her to the side door. >> pittman is brought in for processing. >> how old are you? >> 20. >> police interview amanda but she is reluctant to talk, especially when her suspected spimp pulled in to the prosecuting room. >> who is the guy that came with you. >> he dropped me off. >> how do you know him? >> i really sglont you don't know him. >> what's his name. >> he gave me a ride. >> what's his name. >> i don't know. >> amanda insists that he is just a stranger who gave her a ride. but he tells a different story. >> when did you first meet her? >> friends for a long time. >> how long have you known her? >> neighbors. >> you are neighbors. >> what was the reason for coming up here today? >> she said she had a date. >> she said give mae ride. i have a date at a hotel room. >> surely he admitted that he drives amanda to dates in

exchange for what he calls gas money. >> are we safe to say we knew she was coming up here, you knew she was coming up here to commit prostitution. >> what's the charges. >> driving proceeds for prostitution and that's a felony. you drove that girl up here to commit an act of prostitution. >> not unknowingly. >> you can check my record. >> your record has nothing to do with this. absolutely nothing to do with this. you are a smart guy. you know and i know what she was coming up here to do. >> have a seat in one of those empty chairs. >> he is placed in the holding room to await transport to jail. meanwhile, in the room next door, our producer grace reaches out to amanda to learn more about her. >> see, you have your whole life ahead of you. what are you doing caught up in this sting operation? you are smarter than this.

>> amanda says she was recently working in a coffee shop and attending community college in upstate new york, but she dropped out. >> how did you end up here? >> just left. >> there are people who can help you. there are organizations that can help you. more and more people know about it so more and more people -- i know you don't want to say anything because he's in the next room. but i know right now in this moment it seems he is the scariest person or you love him. >> no. >> do you think he loves you? >> no. >> you don't think he loves you? >> no, it's nothing like that. i don't know him. >> oh, you really don't know him at all? >> no. >> okay. >> like so many young women in they are predicament, amanda is unwilling to admit anything about the man under arrest for pimping her out tonight. >> i don't know him. >> even when in custody, women like amanda are often more afraid of upsetting their pimps than going to jail. >> well, so you are saying you

drove her as a favor? >> she had a date. i gave her a ride. >> she told you she had a date. >> that's what he said. they call me a pimp and i don't have a criminal record so it is what it is. >> if you stayed out here, he's going to use and abuse you until you are all done. just go home, if you can. isn't there somebody, some relative you can call? there's nobody? what some people often fail to appreciate is the fact that for many young people like amanda there is really no good place to go, especially when they are terrified of the traffickers who control them. >> do you think that today will change your opinion about women who are sold on-line? >> today will change my life completely about everything.

with aches, fever and chills- there's no such thing as a little flu. so why treat it like it's a little cold? there's something that works differently than over-the-counter remedies. prescription tamiflu attacks the flu virus at its source. so call your doctor right away. tamiflu treats the flu in people 2 weeks and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior, stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents in particular may be at an increased risk of seizures, confusion or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. so don't wait. attack the flu virus at its source. ask your doctor about tamiflu, prescription for flu.

cozy or cool? "meow" or "woof"? everything the way you want it ... until boom, it's bedtime! and your mattress a battleground of thwarted desire. enter the sleep number bed. designed to let couples sleep together in individualized comfort. he's a softy. his sleep number setting is 35. you're the rock, at 60. and as your needs change over time you can adjust your bed to sleep better together. 48-month financing available through february 2 only at your local sleep number store. find your sleep number setting and know better sleep.

in polk county, florida, human trafficking sting heads in to midnight and the arrests are piling up. >> oh, i think we're looking at 14 maybe right now. we still have a couple more possibilities for tonight. >> this is the most successful night. >> so far so good, yes. >> among those arrested a half dozen men, like these, who came here to buy sex. >> have a seat in the plastic chairs, all right? >> a brief break in the action affords us an opportunity to speak to them. >> how old are you? >> 36. >> are you married? >> yes. >> so why -- have you done this before? have you been on backpages before? >> no. >> would you be surprised to

know every guy i talked to tonight has said the same thing. are you the one guy that's telling the truth? what is your wife going to say? does she know you are doing this? ? >> i go to massages like when i'm in dallas i go to massages. >> where in dallas do you go for massages. do you go on backpages to get massages. >> i google and whatever comes up close by. if it is coming like cheap. i go for that massage. >> when you look at the pictures on-line, and you see naked ladies there and ladies with their butt hanging out and their boobs hanging out, did you see the words "deep tissue" in that ad. are you going to be straight with me? i'm giving you one more chance. >> i wish you had a lie detector so i could prove it to you. >> okay. >> are these your typical guys that come to buy sex in operations like this? do they differ or vary in any

way. >> they all have our own reasons. we even got a guy tonight on his honeymoon. i don't understand that. i don't understand any of it. >> mohammad, is it true you are here on your honeymoon? where does your wife think you are? she's probably really worried. >> in fact, mohammad's wife was worried enough to file a missing person's report with the local police. >> have you ever bought a girl before today? ? is this a about this you have that you are trying to break? can you tell me why you were on backpages tonight? are you going to do this again, mohammad? >> never. >> perhaps the most candid account tonight comes from 26-year-old juan mehlo. >> this is just completely my fault. >> who admits to seeking sex for sale as a release from the stress of work and a troubled

relationship with his girlfriend. >> so why were you on backpages today? >> i was just so stressful. we got in to a fight last night. i was just so stressful today. i drove all day, going from one client to another. it was just -- >> so this was going to be your treat to yourself? >> kind of, sort of. >> what do you think she's -- how do you think she's going to react when she finds out? >> she's going to leave me. >> why did you feel like you had to go to backpages? >> we broke up last year. and i went away for a couple of months. we started talking on the phone again. and i told her that i was going

to come back and make it work. >> like the other men in custody tonight, juan says that this is his first foray in to the world of sex for sale, but our producer remains skeptical. >> you are telling me you went on backpages for the first time today? >> yeah. >> are you telling the truth? >> swear to god i'm telling the truth. that's why i don't believe. this i can't believe it. >> you must have looked at the ads before? >> yeah. i looked at them. yeah. i looked at them, but i just -- like -- i was like, yeah, whatever. you know. >> just never had the nerve. >> yeah. never, never -- never had to do this or, you know. >> do you know what human trafficking is? >> yeah. >> do you think the girls out here are doing it on their 0

own? >> some of them are obviously. some others are not obviously. i mean, i'm nobody to dodge and maybe they are going through worse things. and that's the only thing -- >> would you let a man have sex with you ten times a day? >> no. absolutely not. >> do you think that would be an enjoyable way to make your living? >> no. but yeah, when you put it that way, yes, of course. it's not easy. it's something that's not -- >> would that change your opinion about buying sex if you knew the girl you were buying sex from was raped by her father at the age of 4. >> yeah. >> would that change your mind about how you view the girls on backpages.

>> obviously, it's just -- when you think about it, that girl could be -- it is somebody's daughter. it's somebody's sisters. yeah. it is -- it's sad. it's just -- >> do you think that today will change your opinion about women who are sold on-line? >> today will change my life completely, about everything. and yes. >> you are never going to do this again, are you? >> absolutely not. >> there's no drugs. there's nothing. i'm just -- >> why are you here? were you grocery shopping? >> no. >> why do you think all of these guys are here? >> i don't know. ♪ stacy's mom has got it goin' on ♪ ♪ stacy's mom has got it goin' on ♪

[ male announcer ] the beautifully practical and practically beautiful cadillac srx. lease this 2014 cadillac srx for around $319 a month with premium care maintenance included. ♪ but you're not done. capella university can help take your career even further, with the most direct path to your point "c". capella university. start your journey at capella.edu.

[ chicken caws ] [ male announcer ] when your favorite food starts a fight, fight back fast with tums. heartburn relief that neutralizes acid on contact and goes to work in seconds. ♪ tum, tum tum tum tums! bulldog: you know, not all heroes wear capes.

bulldog: you know, some wear fur. and mattress discounters good deed dogs is here to help them. meet yara. she helps veterans like marv stay independent. this is caspin. he helps wallace with things she can't do on her own. and goldie helps children with developmental disabilities, while suzie works with people in the hospital. you can be a hero, too. give it mattressdiscountersdogs.com, or any mattress discounters. mattress discounters good deed dogs: helping dogs help people. a white male just pulled in,

a car parked over by the truck. and he is walking in the front door now. >> it's after midnight and the polk county sheriff's police are making their final arrests of the night. >> 44-year-old timothy poyer is the sixth and final john snagged in tonight's operation. >> what were you looking for? >> just a bad day, i guess. i was hoping for a good part of the day. >> how much are you willing to pay? >> just $100. >> $100? >> yes, sir. >> in exchange for what? >> i guess i don't really know. >> huh? >> i guess i'm not really 100% sure. >> is sex involved in that. >> i don't know that. i'm not sure. >> what do you mean you're not sure? what would the possibility be? >> i suppose that could be one of them. >> although married with children, poyer admits to police that this is not his first time buying sex. >> is this protected or

>> was this going to be protected or unprotected sex? >> protected. >> did you bring protection with you? >> i do not, no. >> you don't know or you do not -- >> i do not. >> what were you going to do if she didn't have any? >> then i wasn't going to get involved. >> did you do any drugs today? >> no, sir. i was so nervous. i've never been in this predicament. nervous and scared. >> like most men caught in this compromising position, the john's demeanor is one of shame and contrition. >> i can tell you i will not find myself sitting here ever again. it is a very embarrassing situation. and i won't find myself in this seat again. >> do you have a daughter? >> i do. >> she the older one? the teenager?

>> no. she's the youngest. >> the youngest. >> well, i'm sure you won't be back here again. >> no ma'am. i will not. >> i don't understand nothing. >> the only exception to that rule tonight is 40-year-old ishmael. >> i just know that i'm here and getting arrested and read my right. >> okay. you don't know why you're here? >> i'm going to read my rights. i'm not going -- there is not drugs, there is nothing -- i'm just -- you know -- >> although police have him on the phone making a deal for sex with a female under cover, this native of morocco insists he has done nothing wrong. >> you took your phone, you dialed a number. >> okay. >> you made a date with a girl to buy sex. >> no. >> oh, what were you doing then? >> no. >> what were you doing then, if you weren't dialing the number and calling undercover officer to have sex, then what were you doing? >> no, no, no. >> you're smart man. >> i'm a smart man. >> are you educated? you seem educated.

>> nothing about -- there is nothing about sex that was discussed with anybody. >> then why are you here? were you grocery shopping? >> no. >> so they jumped out and got you for nothing? because you did nothing? >> yes. >> what is your excuse for being here? >> i have no -- what is my excuse for this? >> who dialed your phone? who made the date? who did i hear on the phone call? why do you think these guys are here? >> i don't know. >> we're going to have to take a group and get them out of here. we're just going to grab their paperwork, their property, have a van pull up the side door and walk them downstairs to the van and have them loaded in the van. >> this is a successful night. >> so far so good, yes. we have operations where we've gotten in four or five days 30, 40. one where we had got 89. just depends. so yeah, this is about,

unfortunately, starting to be the norm. and we've had several that, as soon as they find out what county this is, they say, we're not coming to polk county. they know not to come here. but there is still a ton of them that obviously do. >> do you know what county this is? >> what county is it? >> polk county. do you know about polk county? >> heard about it. >> they are very serious. >> they don't have to worry about me coming back, i'll tell you that. >> first thing that happens is they are going to go to jail. next thing that is going to happen is they are going to read about themselves in the paper of widest circulation in the county. then they are going to get to come to depositions or hearings or motions repeatedly at the courthouse. life is miserable. life is miserable for using bad judgment in polk county. >> all i saw tonight were little

girls with not just one horrifying story, all of the stories were horrifying. one girl, jacqueline, her mother sold her to a pimp at age 15. another girl was molested since age 9, got pregnant at 16 but her mother didn't believe her. >> this is sad. to me, a sad comment on society nowadays. seems like the family system is broken down. and we see a lot more of this. a lot of people look at prostitution as a victimless crime. it's not. >> anyone who thinks that is involved in archaic thinking. aside from the fact that it is a public health problem, aside from the fact that it is morally corrupt, the reality is, these girls aren't choosing to do this on their own. they are scared. they don't have any place to go. they don't know where their next meal's coming from.

but for the grace of god, that could be my daughter. and why haven't we stood up together, united and said, no more. we wear them out. >> tonight's operations is just the first round of a four-day sting that will ultimately net 90 individuals, including 12 pimps, a juvenile, and a youth minister who came looking for sex from a 14-year-old girl. >> it's scary. and if you are naive enough to think it is just here, you're wrong. we dig it out here. so it is what kind of community do you want. what kind of community do you want to live in. do you want to raise your children in. but here's my warning and it's not new. if you come here to violate the law, we're going to put you in jail. and if we don't get you this time, we'll catch you next time.

they came to america hoping to improve their lives. >> i was supposed to go to virginia beach for work as a waitress. >> but from the moment they arrived, they became captive property of dangerous men with horrifying plans. >> translator: he said look, fresh meat from el salvador. >> forced to work under threat of death in america's booming sex industry. >> these are slaves, but it's the most egregious kind of slavery, it's sex slaves. >> it's a billion dollar industry thriving in the heart of our cities. >> it's living quarters. >> how many people do you think live back here? >> i would say about four or five of them. >> where young women and girls