Adarius Taylor, formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers, has been arrested in connection with a large-scale human trafficking sting in Florida as part of a sting that saw 255 people arrested.
Taylor, 34, was detained during the nine-day law enforcement effort, which involved multiple agencies and concluded on May 10 and was titled, “Operation Fool Around and Find Out”.
Led by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, it is believed to have uncovered numerous instances of criminal activity tied to prostitution, child endangerment, and immigration violations.
According to authorities, the ex-NFL linebacker arrived at the sting location with his 6-year-old child and allegedly left the child unattended in a vehicle while he entered the site to engage in soliciting prostitution.
“Obviously he must have hit one too many people as a linebacker, because his brain cells are scrambled,” said Sheriff Grady Judd, referencing Taylor‘s past as a professional football player.
Born in Bartow, 225 miles away from Miami, Taylor faces charges of felony negligent child abuse without bodily harm and misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution and the Florida Department of Children and Families took immediate custody of the child too.
His last appearance in the NFL came in 2020 with the Carolina Panthers, where played in nine games before being placed on the injury reserve list in November of that same year.
Undrafted in the 2014 class, he eventually penned a deal with the Panthers but left at the end of 2015 to join Tampa Bay, where he remained until the end of 2018. He then had a brief stint with the Cleveland Browns, before returning to Carolina.
He most recently played for the Calgary Stampeders, but was released in November 2023. His NFL stats read 125 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and a defensive touchdown.
His fall from professional sports to facing criminal charges highlights what law enforcement described as a “deepening concern” over the reach of trafficking operations into all sectors of society.
What crimes have people been arrested for?
The broader operation led to the arrest of 255 individuals, including 36 undocumented immigrants. Some 141 people were charged with soliciting prostitution, while 93 were charged with offering to commit prostitution.
An additional 10 were charged with related offenses such as aiding or transporting individuals for prostitution, and eleven suspects were apprehended for allegedly attempting to meet minors for sex.
Investigators identified four potential victims of human trafficking during the operation. These individuals were offered assistance and services as law enforcement agencies seek to dismantle trafficking networks operating in the state.
The investigation remains active and ongoing, and will hopefully make the streets in Florida safer by the time of the conclusion.
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