BRADENTON -- A total of 17 people have been arrested in an undercover human trafficking bust in Manatee County.
Sheriff Rick Wells says six of those taken into custody are men responded to an on-line ad on an adult website, and showed up for what they thought would be sex with a young girl.
Those suspects, according to the sheriff, are:
Jerome Jeffson (26) – Engaging in Human Trafficking Labor, Traveling to Meet a Minor, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device.
Marckendy Dariste (32) - Engaging in Human Trafficking Labor, Traveling to Meet a Minor.
Edward Aji (35) - Engaging in Human Trafficking Labor, Traveling to Meet a Minor, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device.
Juan Ojeda (29) - Engaging in Human Trafficking Labor, Traveling to Meet q Minor, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device.
Miguel De La Cruz (21) - Engaging in Human Trafficking Labor, Traveling to Meet a Minor, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device.
Andrew Lang (44) - Engaging in Human Trafficking Labor, Traveling to Meet a Minor, Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Comm unications Device.
He says he's delighted to get them off the street, but he's also concerned about the 198 who called about the ad and got cold feet. "They got spooked, but they were willing to call that number," Wells said.
Wells says detectives raided three massage parlors for alleged criminal activity. Two people were arrested, and one parlor was cited for multiple code violations.
One trafficking victim has been rescued, Wells says, and there may be more.
Photos: Manatee County Sheriff's OIfice