Two Polk County residents were among the individuals arrested as part of “Operation Cooked,” a multi-agency undercover child predator sting led by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
The operation, which targeted adults attempting to exploit children online, resulted in multiple arrests across the region. The two suspects from Polk County include:
- Eric Daniel Kreft (50, of Davenport): Investigators stated that Kreft allegedly arranged to meet someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl, arriving at the location with items including a soft drink, with deputies recovering condoms and a cellphone from his vehicle.
- Leslie Augustus Anderson (34, of Winter Haven): Authorities reported that Anderson allegedly arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, arriving with alcohol, condoms, and multiple cellphones.
The broader multi-agency sting involved coordinated sweeps targeting online child exploitation networks in Central Florida.
The operation involved assistance from several agencies, including the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Orlando Police Department, St. Cloud Police Department, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Lake City Police Department, and Homeland Security.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the Statewide Prosecutor’s Office will lead the prosecution of these cases.