Polk County Sheriff’s Phone# 863-298-6200
If in an emergency Dial 911
News and Investigations
News & Investigations
News Releases and Public Information
Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.
PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Carrie Horstman, Brian Bruchey, and Julianna Rivera. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.
The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.
Jun 18, 2026
Lithia man arrested for traveling to Polk County to have sex with who he thought was a 14-year old girl
Media Contact: Brian Bruchey, PIO
Undercover detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Lithia man after he arranged for and then traveled to have a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl.
Click here for video of Sheriff Judd commenting on the arrest.
“The suspect thought he was communicating and negotiating with a man who was going to let him have sex with his daughter for $200. The suspect even asked if it was a trap. Newsflash--- it was a trap. And now there is one less dangerous predator out there preying on innocent children, because we locked him up in the Polk County Jail.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.
On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 33-year-old Perry Thomas Olson answered a fictitious advertisement that detectives placed on a dating app. The ad was for a man who was prostituting his 14-year-old daughter for sex.
Olson texted the phone number on the ad and it was answered by the undercover PCSO detective. Olson immediately asked the detective about the price, and then proceeded to discuss the girl’s age, and the circumstances of the sexual encounter.
At around 4 pm, Olson texted that he had arrived at a designated meeting place, and he was immediately taken into custody.
Detectives found that Olson was in possession of $200 cash, two condoms, and a bottle of lubricant.
Perry Thomas Olson was taken to the Sheriff’s Processing Center and booked-in on the following charges: Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Activity-Victim under 18 (FL), Traveling to Meet Using a Computer to Solicit a Parent for Sex with a Minor (F2), Attempting Lewd/Lascivious Battery on Victim 12-16 (F2), Use a Computer to Solicit a Parent/Guardian (F3), and Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device (F3).