Santa Claus Arrested in Child Sex Sting

0:00It's April 29th. You're listening to Tampa Bay News today, AI-powered local news. A 68-year-old man famous for dressing as Santa at Big Christmas events in Polk County, Florida, got arrested last week in a child sexting. Thomas Allen Hicks fell right into an undercover trap set by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, where cops posed online as a trafficker offering up his, own 13-year-old daughter for cash. The operation kicked off April 20th and ran for several days, teaming up with other agencies to snag predators hunting kids on the internet. Hicks spotted the ad on a prostitution site, texted back confirming he wanted the girl even after learning her age and haggled down to 200 dollars for an hour. Folks in the community are reeling because this guy is no stranger. He works in marketing for Tri-County Behavioral Health, right there in Polk County. Farming crowds is jolly old Saint Nick every holiday season. That trusted image makes the allegations hit even harder, exposing how predators can

1:00hide in plain sight. When Hicks showed up in a Lakeland parking lot the next afternoon, around 3.35 pm, deputies moved in fast. They found $382 in his wallet, including two $100 bills, and he straight up admitted knowing the ad was four, a 13-year-old. Forbes offers hidden with human trafficking charges, underscoring their zero tolerance push against these online threats. Stay vigilant out there, as they keep these ops rolling.