them outli and let people see them. we probably want to get a better hold of that lead rope. in the shadows of orlando, florida, the business of sex for sale is booming. but 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's a public health problem. aside from the fact that it's

morally corrupt, the reality is these girls aren't choosing to do this on their own. tonight, msnbc goes undercover with the men and women of the polk county sheriff's office as they work to rescue girls and young women caught up in the underground sex trade, crack down on the men who buy and sell sex, and stop buys cold at the polk county line. >> you know what county this is? polk county. >> life is miserable for using bad judgment in polk county. >> do you think today will change your opinion about women who are sold online? >> today will change my life completely about everything. take a ride down florida's i-4 corridor and you will find yourself in polk county, big

time vices with 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. >> y'all ready to do something? >> yes, sir. >> meet grady judd, sheriff of polk county. in 40 years as a cop, he has waged battle against violent crimes and human trafficking. >> we wear them out. >> to understand sheriff judd's values, it is important for him to know about the place he was born and raised. 50 years ago, this stretch of central florida was 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 have new dancing establishment. we had massage parlors. i was a young deputy during part of this time, and we start

fighting 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 roadside oasis for wary travellers. but inside, deputies with the polk county sheriff's office are busy spinning a high-tech web to snare buyers and sellers of sex. >> this is the technology hub of the operation. >> there are cameras that we put in place. >> what it allows us to do is see the hotel in different angles and see our undercovers. >> our producer, grace khan, was granted access to a 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's a repetitive consistent course of conduct. that makes, and for the sake of argument, people say, maybe we will go into a neighboring area. but we really don't want to do business in polk county. >> most of us have done this. so you know what to do. >> it is a little after 5:00 p.m. when lieutenant ward takes the lead in the trenches. briefing take-down teams on the protocol for tonight's operation. >> the most important thing is, if you have someone coming on the hook, make sure we got it on this board. >> male undercovers troll the internet looking for sex ads on sites like back page. >> there is this ad, this girl. >> inviting women to visit the hotel and provide sex for money. >> are you doing out calls tonight. >> meanwhile, female undercovers pose as sellers of sex. posting their own ads to lure

unsuspecting johns into the trap. >> i'm tall. blonde hair, blue eyes. >> ideally, undercovers will attempt to make the deal for sex on the phone before the subjects even arrive. >> for you, i'll do, if you drive a little bit further, i'll do like, 75. i have someone on the way now. he, i posted an ad on to backpage.com and he responded to one of my ads. i have charges on him. half an hour. a hundred dollars. >> meanwhile, this male undercover also has an unsuspecting mark on the line. >> can we have fun stuff or what? >> i responded to an ad for an escort. she goes by the name of black magic. she goes, how much time do you want. i said, 30 minutes. i said, how much is 30 minutes? she said, $120. >> with charges in place, black magic goes up on the board along with the john and the team prepares for their arrival.

>> it's crazy. there are periods where there are two and three people coming at the same time. >> outside the hotel, officers keep watch for subjects and relay details when they arrive. >> got a white male just pulled in with a nissan altima, with a roof rack on it. >> an unsuspecting john is the first to arrive. >> did you get my text? i sent you the room number. >> she gives him the room number and tries to calm his jittery nerves. >> yeah, no, it's cool. not a big deal. >> he said that he was a student and that he had never done this before. so he's, you know, trying to portray himself as like, he's wanting to try something new that he has never done this. >> if you want anything like, you know, if you want anything like real crazy, it is a little bit extra. but we can talk about that. >> so you think this is a first timer possibly? >> we'll see. i don't know. some of them can play the game really well. >> the nervous john makes his way up to room 207. unaware that his every move is

being observed and recorded by the polk county sheriff's office. after some small talk about sex, he hands over $100 to the undercover. >> go ahead. >> sheriff deputies move in and rain on his parade. >> oh, my god. please, please. i can't, no -- this is -- please. >> do you have anything on you that we need to know about. guns, weapons. >> no, i'm so scared. >> the first man in custody is 31-year-old vinnie gonzalez. friends call him vinnie. but to sheriff judd, he is just case number 19018. >> welcome to polk county. this is what we do with folks who violate the law in the county. we hook them up, take them to jail. >> another one bites the dust. >> vinnie is hustled across the

hallway for processing while deputies reset the trap. >> she's out, walking up to the door, long hair, white shirt, khaki shorts. >> once again, unsuspecting woman is documented as she makes her way up to the date in 2 07. undercover secured charges against her. as soon as she takes his cash. sheriff's deputies move in for the arrest. >> oh, my god. >> this 26-year-old woman we will call samantha is more than 600 miles away from her home in north carolina. with only $300 in her pocket she is broke and busted. >> tonight's operation has only just begun and police have two in custody. before the night is over, they will be joined by many, many more. >> it is made to look glamorous.

you're going to sneak away from your wife, and come here, and do something naughty, and then go back to your normal life. that's not the way it is at all. then smash it into a tree. your insurance company is all too happy to raise your rates... maybe you should've done a little more research on them. for drivers with accident forgiveness, liberty mutual won't raise your rates due to your first accident. see car insurance in a whole new light. liberty mutual insurance. start looking for a house? oh did you see that listing on zillow i sent you. you see that bathroom? did we just decide to buy house? i think so. yay! find your way home. zillow. padvil pm gives you the healingu at nsleep you need, it. helping you fall asleep and stay asleep so your body can heal as you rest. advil pm. for a healing night's sleep.

it's a really big deal. and with fever, aches, and chills, mom knows it needs a big solution: an antiviral. don't kid around with the flu, call your doctor within the first 48 hours of symptoms and ask about prescription tamiflu. attack the flu virus at its source with tamiflu, an antiviral that helps stop it from spreading in the body. tamiflu in liquid form is fda approved to treat the flu in people two weeks of age 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. anti-flu? go antiviral with tamiflu.

on the outskirts of orlando, florida, a man pulls off the highway and heads into 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. >> you know, i told him what my name was and he introduces himself as vinnie. >> 31-year-old vinnie gonzalez tells police this is his first time buying sex. they suspect he is either lying or extremely unlucky. >> does it sound like he was a first timer? >> i don't know. he wasn't as experienced as some are. i don't know if that would be his first time.

he seemed very, very nervous and unsure of like how things are supposed to go down. it's possible. >> i'm sorry. >> the nervous young man is cooperative but not exactly forthcoming. >> i was just one time, i'm staying up here to go to school and i'm staying in my motorhome. and i just wanted to go for a drive and just to see. i didn't -- >> were you interested in regular sex? >> well, i thought i was going to -- i don't know. i've never done this before. i saw an ad on-line. i read it and called the number. and i really didn't even think anybody was going to answer and i was like, i'll just go see. >> you brought a hundred bucks. you had to expect something. >> i wasn't a hundred percent sure. she said a half an hour. half an hour and -- >> what were you wanting for a hundred bucks? >> i wasn't, honestly sure what to expect.

i wasn't really planning on having actual sex, no, i was not. >> what kind of sex were you planning on having? >> i thought i would get a massage and i don't know what else it would have entailed. i honestly did not. 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're going to sneak away from your wife. and you're going to come here and do something a little naughty and then you're going to go back to your normal life. that's not the way it is at all. and the state of florida has a very liberal public records law. if you get arrested, you're going to be a public record for the rest of your life. >> with vinnie in the cooler, investigators turn now to the female in custody. 26-year-old samantha. among her effects, they find condoms, vaseline and a box cutter. >> why would someone carry a box cutter? >> personal protection.

>> what were you here for? >> for pain and [ expletive ]. >> what do you mean by that? >> companionship. >> what do you mean companionship. >> you didn't discuss, i would do anything, just not anal. you didn't say anything like that? tell me more about that. >> i'm here to keep you company. there's things i won't do. >> you shouldn't be out here doing this anyway, you know this, right? it's dangerous. >> samantha is less than forth coming with the police. but she does tell our producer she's been selling herself since she was a child. >> i've been doing this since, like i said, about 13, 12. you work by yourself? >> yes. >> so there is no guy looking for you right now? i saw a guy in the hallway. >> no. not mine. not for me. >> really? >> samantha insists she is operating independently, despite the fact she is more than 600

miles from home with only $3 in her pocket. >> so you're doing this by choice? >> i'm not being forced to do anything. >> you're not. >> no. >> really? and you got $3 in your purse. you're choosing to do this. do you know girls who choose to do this? because it's, what? a good way to make a living? >> i don't know nobody else -- >> if you're been doing this since you were 12, you say did you that by choice? >> no. >> no, didn't think so. >> samantha reveals that for years she was molested by a relative. at 16, pregnant with his baby. she ran away from home. sadly, an all-too-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 there. >> and you don't think that situation has anything to do with you sitting here now? >> it may. >> most of the women that i've interviewed that have been trafficked had something terrible happen to them when they were still a child. i definitely think there is some kind of relationship between the two. this is not the life you chose for yourself at 12, is it? >> no. >> samantha's candor has a unique opportunity for us to engage with the would-be john in the same holding pen and show him the painful reality that often 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 girls who end up selling themselves? you think they do it by choice? >> i don't know. >> you don't know?

>> have you ever given any thought? do you think those girls that you're looking at are making career choices? >> why do you think they're doing it? would you sell yourself for $100 for a half an 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 if you engage in this conduct, you're engaging in human trafficking. and that's not acceptable. >> so polk county has no sympathy for the johns who come here? >> zero. zero sympathy. and you will see that in this operation. >> will that give you something to think about the next time you're curious and you go on back pages? >> definitely. >> has there been a lesson learned here? >> a big one. >> what happened when you were younger? >> 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. like turning algae into biofuel... ...new technology for capturing co2 emissions... ...and cars twice as efficient as the average car today. ideas exxonmobil scientists are working on to make energy go further... ...no matter how many tries it takes. energy lives here. frequent heartburn brand in america. i hope you like it spicy! get complete protection with the purple pill. the new leader in frequent heartburn. that's nexium level protection.

start looking for a house? oh did you see that listing on zillow i sent you. you see that bathroom? did we just decide to buy house? i think so. yay! find your way home. zillow.

in polk county, florida, sheriff investigators are in the early hours of a massive human trafficking sting. >> is this tiffany? >> what you got going on? >> i'm at a hotel. >> how much did you say? >> for you, i'll do 75. >> are you down with like anything? >> i promise, you will not be disappointed. >> after two quick arrests in afternoon, detectives brace themselves for what will soon be a very busy evening. >> following a long day at work this 26-year-old man, juan malo is looking to blow off some steam with someone he thinks is a woman for hire. but unfortunately for mr. malo, she is an undercover cop and he is now under arrest. >> do you have anything on you we need to know about guns, weapons? >> no. >> i told them.

>> okay, that's fine. >> police hustle mr. malo across the hall for processing and quickly reset the trap. >> gordon's got one here now and danielle's got one. >> he's got one here too. >> oh okay. >> with multiple subjects on the way, the investigation begins to take on the dynamics of an air traffic control tower. >> you may have a couple on top of each other. hispanic females in the door and this white male right behind her. >> oh, this will be interesting. >> the hallway is suddenly crowded with players in the cat and mouse game. the woman senses something is not right and she turns back toward the exit. but the male is unwilling to leave without getting what he came for. >> grab her. >> police have enough evidence for charges on the woman so they apprehend her in the hallway. while the female under cover makes a deal for sex with the john in the room. >> if you have anything illegal --

>> hands behind your back. >> 21-year-old mohammed ahmed hails from the suburbs of chicago. he tells police he is in florida with his wife, celebrating their honeymoon. >> where does she think you're at? >> she was sleeping. i told her i was leaving for just a little bit. i looked on-line and -- i promise it won't happen again. >> he told her he was just going to go out for a little bit. and we're talking. he said, will you be here all week. i said, yes. he said, i'll come here to see you all week then. >> ahmed is shuttled across the hall for processing when his cell phone is ringing. >> my wife is calling. may i please answer it? >> no. >> oh, my god, she's going to be -- >> you're an adult, you're a grown man? are you? okay, stop crying. >> on the other end, his bride is all alone in a hotel room wondering where her new groom is.

>> is there any way i can call her? >> be quiet. >> once ahmed is processed and formally charged, he is allowed to contact his wife. >> i'm with police right now. i just wanted to let you know, please be safe, okay. no, no, i'm not done. i need to let her know. don't talk. i said, don't talk to my mom. >> meanwhile, the beat goes on. >> i should have a male in the parking lot now. >> once again, they have two more targets on the way up. >> there should be two more targets on the way up. >> a female in the door just got dropped off. >> in the front doors now. >> you got charges? >> yeah, well. you got them both here. going on an elevator together. >> oh, boy. >> coming down the hallway. >> we had two show up at the same time again at the door. >> male and female. they stood there talking to each other. >> police have charges on the male but not the female. >> get prepared. once again they need to carefully and quickly choreograph their arrests. >> we open the door, bring the

female in, we didn't have charges on her yet and the male took off down the hallway. >> go get him. >> as soon as they got in the hall, we grabbed him because we had charges on him. >> he's arrested and stashed quietly in the command room, where 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 tells police she's been in the life since age 15. >> do you know the series, "sex slaves in america" with natalie morales? >> yes. >> what have you seen? >> yes. >> what have you seen? >> a lot of the sex trafficking with the john. >> do you think it is a problem in this country? >> yes. >> and you know that firsthand,

right? why are you here tonight? >> trying to get some money and trying to live, i guess. >> do you have kids? >> yes. >> how many kids? >> 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 happened when i was younger. >> what happened? >> i was sold. >> what do you mean you were sold? >> my mother sold me. >> your mom sold you to a pimp? >> yes. >> how old were you? >> 15. my mother got drugs for me and gave me to that guy, for the drugs. >> did you have to -- when you were 15, did you have to turn that money over to him? >> mm-hm. >> all of it? >> mm-hm. >> you didn't keep any of it? how much money do have you now? >> none. >> how does that work? >> i don't know. >> jacqueline insists she is not under the control of a pimp, but

she cannot account for the fact that she is more than 1400 miles from home with no money. so are you keeping any money? or are you handing it over to somebody? >> i'm keeping my money. >> are you? then why don't you have any? >> i don't have any money on me. >> but i mean -- yeah, i have money on me, but i don't have any money on me. >> she is remarkably candid. yet she cements seems almost numb to the reality of what her life has become. you seem like you are so over it. >> yeah, i mean, over the years, after doing it for some many years, you get over it. >> but do you really get over that trauma? >> not over the trauma but, you know -- >> you try not to think about it. >> yes. >> are you going to get out? >> yeah. >> definitely this is not what i want to do for life. but you know, it just gets me by. that's about it.

>> you drove that girl up here to commit an act of prostitution. you know and i know what she was coming up here to do. the flu, cr the flu, cr within the first 48 hours of symptoms and ask about prescription tamiflu. attack the flu virus at its source with tamiflu, an antiviral that helps stop it from spreading in the body. tamiflu in liquid form is fda approved to treat the flu in people two weeks of age 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. anti-flu? go antiviral with tamiflu. start looking for a house? oh did you see that listing on zillow i sent you.

you see that bathroom? did we just decide to buy house? i think so. yay! find your way home. zillow. advil pain relievers are used by more households than any other leading brand. to treat their aches and pains more people reach for advil. relief doesn't get any better than this. advil.

i'm richard lui with the top stories. dozens of tornadoes killed at least 11 people in the dallas area last night. governor abbott says that number could rise as emergency crews assess damage from the twisters. another storm is dumping rain in a.m. amarillo. now back to our msnbc special. . on a warm night in central florida, investigators with the polk county sheriff's office are

working under cover advertising sex for sale. >> hour, half hour. >> about 10:45 p.m. when this undercover gets a call back from a would-be john. >> do what? >> he says he's in the parking lot and he wants her to come down and meet him in his car. >> i know, but i'm feeling like i'm putting my business out there. walking outside to hook up with some dude in a car. you know, that just makes me nervous. that's why i'm saying, you can come to my room. if you don't like it, then you can leave. like, you don't have to stay. >> from their positions outside, police watch the man exit his vehicle and enter the hotel. >> he is walking toward the front door now. he is fixing to enter the building. >> inside, surveillance cameras follow the man into the lobby. but 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 come up to my room like after i talk to you in the lobby? like, what, i don't understand. i feel like you're wasting my time. like, what are you wanting? >> police are not inclined to

let the man dictate the terms of this deal, nor do they want to possibly blow their cover by making a scene in the lobby. instead they keep eyes on him and wait for him to make the next move. >> he is still hanging out on the first floor there. but they have charges on him. if he goes to leave, they can take him on. >> outside, police prepare for the subject to possibly slip out the back door. it seems he may have discovered that he's being watched and he's beginning to get spooked. >> the guy in the lobby said he ain't going to go to jail and he ain't going to go now. >> as if on cue, the man makes tracks for a side exit. >> there he is. there he is. he's coming to the car. >> but police are lying in wait. >> sit up. bring your foot in. stand up. >> 40-year-old corchi is a native of morocco.

but tonight, like many others, he will call the polk county jail home. meanwhile, a male undercover is working on booking a date with a very young looking woman who goes by the name amanda. >> is it you in the pictures, first of all all? >> amanda agrees to $100 for half an hour of sex and tells the undercover she is on the way. >> got one here. oh, she says she is coming up now. >> at first glance, amanda appears to be very young, possibly even a juvenile. >> if i heard right, she agreed to sex. >> as soon as she committees to the deal and takes the cash, sheriff deputies move in for the arrest. >> go ahead and take it. >> take it. >> a quick look at amanda's id tells investigators that she is not a juvenile. she's 20 years old and more than 1200 miles away from her home in upstate new york. investigators quickly turn their attention to the car that

delivered her to the hotel. >> the man behind the wheel is 36-year-old quinton pittman. police suspect he may be amanda's pimp. >> they are bringing him to the side door now. >> pittman is brought inside for processing. >> how old are you, again? >> 20. >> police interview amanda but she is reluctant to talk, especially when her suspected pimp is pulled into the processing room. >> who is this guy that came up here? >> he just dropped me off. >> how do you know him. what's his name? >> he just gave me a ride. >> what's his name? >> i don't know. >> amanda insists that quinton is just a stranger who gave her a ride. but quinton tells a different story. >> when did you first meet her? how long have you known her? >> neighbors. >> you're neighbors? >> yeah. >> what is the reason for coming up here today? >> she said she had a date.

>> a date? >> she just said hey, give me a ride. i got a date at a hotel room. >> slowly but surely he implicates himself, admitting that he drove amanda to a date in exchange for what he calls gas money. >> so are we safe to say that we knew she was coming up here, you knew she was coming up here to commit prostitution? >> i just want to know what i'm charged with. >> it is prostitution. that's a felony. you drove that girl up here to commit an act of prostitution, you knew -- >> unknowingly. >> no, not unknowingly. >> 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. >> quinton is placed in a holding room to be transported to jail.

meanwhile in the room next door, our producer grace reaches out to amanda to learn more about her. >> see, now have you your whole life ahead of you. what are you doing caught up in this sting operation? you're 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? there are people who can help you. organizations who can help you. more and more people know about it. i know you don't want to say anything because he is in the next room. but i know right now in this moment, it feels like he's the scariest thing, or that 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. >> really? you don't know him at all? >> no. >> like so many young women in her 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 more afraid of upsetting their pimps than going to jail. >> so you're saying that you drove her as a favor? >> had he had a she had a date. i gave her a ride. >> she had a date? >> that's what she said. they're calling me a pimp, and i don't even have a criminal record. it is what it is. >> if you stay here, he will use you and use you. until you're all done. go home, if you can. isn't there somebody in some relative can you call? nobody? >> what some people often fail to appreciate is that for many young women like amanda, there is 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. to take control of their budget. and while the men do the hard work of making money, she can get all the car insurance options her little heart desires. or the women might do the hard work of making money. [ chuckling ] women don't have jobs. is this guy for real? modernizing car insurance with -- that's enough out of you! the name your price tool, only from progressive. where is your husband?

the name your price tool, only from progressive. hi! so it says here i can redeem my cashback bonus for discovercash.. do i need to have a certain amount? nope, you can redeem your cashback for any amount, any time. that's great. yeah, you can use it for a statement credit or even get the cash. nice. i could use that extra cash for a last-minute gift. one less thing hanging over your head, right? tell me about it. gary, you got to go. who's gary? a mistake from last year coming back around again. too much egg nog! yes! laaaaa... at discover we treat you like you'd treat you. redeem your cashback for any amount, any time.

get it at discover.com. in polk county, florida, human trafficking sting heads into midnight and the arrests are piling up. >> oh, i think we're looking at 14 maybe right now. we still have a couple more, couple more possibilities for tonight. >> so this is a successful night. >> so far, so good, yes. >> arrested tonight, half a dozen men like these who came here to buy sex. a brief break in the action

afforded us an opportunity to speak to them. >> have you done this before? would you be surprised to know that every guy i've talked to tonight has said the same thing? are you the one guy who's telling the truth? what is your wife going to say? does she know you're doing this? >> yes, while i'm in dallas i go to massages. >> in dallas? where in dallas do you go for massages? do you go on backpages to get massages in dallas? >> i go to google, if it comes out cheap, i go for that massage. >> when you look at the pictures online and you see naked ladies there and ladies with their butt hanging out and their boobs hanging out, do you see the words "deep tissue" in that ad? i'm giving you one more chance, gupta. >> i wish i had a lie detector,

i could prove it to you. >> are these the typical guys who come to buy sex in operations like this? >> they all have their own reasons. we even got a guy tonight that was on his honeymoon. i don't understand that. i don't understand any of it. >> mohammed, is it true you're here on your honeymoon? where does your wife think you are? she's probably really worried. in fact, mohammed's wife was worried enough to file a missing persons report with the local police. >> have you ever bought a girl before today? is that a habit that you have, that you're trying to break? can you tell me why you were on backpages tonight? are you going to do this again, mohammed? perhaps the most candid account tonight comes from 26-year-old juan malo.

>> this is just completely my fault. >> who admits to seeking sex for sale as a relief from stress at work and a troubled relationship with his girlfriend. why were you on backpages today? >> i was so stressful, we had a fight last night. i was so stressful today, i drove all day going from one car to another. >> this is going to be your treat to yourself? >> kind of, sort of. >> how do you think she's going to react when she finds out? >> she's going to leave me. [ crying ] >> 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 into the world of sex for sale. but our producer, grace kahn, remains skeptical. are you telling me this was the first time you went on backpages today? are you telling me the truth? you must have looked at the ads before. >> yeah, i looked at them. but i just -- i was like -- yeah, whatever, you know. >> you never had the nerve? >> yeah. just never -- never had to do

this or, you know -- >> can i ask you, do you know what human trafficking is? >> yeah. >> do you think the girls out here are doing it on their own? >> some of them are, obviously. some others are not, obviously. i mean, i'm nobody to judge. yeah, maybe they are going through worse things, and that's the only thing that -- >> would you let a man have sex with you ten times a day? >> no. 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, i mean, it's not easy. that'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 when you think that girl could be -- it is any -- it's somebody's daughter, it's somebody's sister. yeah. it's -- it's sad. >> do you think that today will change your opinion about women who are sold online? >> today will change my life completely. about everything. and yes. >> you're never going to do this again, are you? >> absolutely not. not afraid to fail. some of these experiments may not work. but a few might shape the future. like turning algae into biofuel...

...new technology for capturing co2 emissions... ...and cars twice as efficient as the average car today. ideas exxonmobil scientists are working on to make energy go further... ...no matter how many tries it takes. energy lives here. checking out the listing on zillyeah, i like it. this place has a great backyard. i can't believe we're finally doing this. all of this... stacey, benjamin... this is daniel. you're not just looking for a house. you're looking for a place for your life to happen. zillow. it's a really big deal. and with fever, aches, and chills, mom knows it needs a big solution: an antiviral. don't kid around with the flu, call your doctor

within the first 48 hours of symptoms and ask about prescription tamiflu. attack the flu virus at its source with tamiflu, an antiviral that helps stop it from spreading in the body. tamiflu in liquid form is fda approved to treat the flu in people two weeks of age 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. anti-flu? go antiviral with tamiflu.

white male just pulled in, 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? >> $100. >> $100? >> yes, sir. >> in exchange for what? >> i guess i don't really know. >> huh? >> i guess i'm not really a hundred percent 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 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 -- nervous and scared. >> like most men caught in this compromising position, the johns demeanor is one of shame and contrition. >> i could 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? teenager? >> no, the youngest. >> the youngest. >> well, i'm sure you won't be back here again. >> no, ma'am, i will not. >> i do not understand anything. >> the only exception to that rule tonight is 40-year-old ishmael. >> i just know that i'm here and arrested and read my right. >> okay. >> you don't know why you're here? >> i'm going to read my right. i'm not going -- there is not drugs, there is nothing -- i just -- you know -- >> although police have him on the phone making a deal for sex with a female undercover, 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 dialling 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 nothing. there is nothing about sex that was discussed with anybody. >> then why are you here? were you grocery shopping? >> no. >> so everybody just jumped up 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, property, have a van pull up the side door and walk them downstairs to the van and have them load it in the van. >> this is a successful night. >> so far, so good, y yes. we have operations where we've gotten in four or five days, 30,

40. one where we had got 89. it just depends. so, yeah, this is about unfortunately, it is starting to be the norm. we have had several that as soon as they find out what kocounty this is, they say, we are not coming to polk county. but there is certainly some of them who do. >> do you know what county this is? >> no. >> 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 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 stories, all of the stories were horrifying. one girl, jacqueline, her mother sold her to a pimp at age 15. another girl admitted that she had been incested since the age of 9, and pregnant at the age of # 16, and her mother didn't believe her. so there has to be some relationship between the trauma and the selling sex? >> it is a sad comment on family system is broken down. and we see a lot more -- 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 is scary. 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.

♪ xx in polk county, florida, buyers and sellers of sex had better beware. >> oh, my god. >> chances are that trick on the end of the line withes an undercover cop. >> there are girls. >> we are on tv. >> ain't that but a bitch. >> are you kidding me. >> oh, my god. >> welcome to polk county. if you come to this county, you are going to get the full effect and force of the law.