Since 2006, at least 35 Disney World workers have been arrested during various child sex investigations for crimes that have included attempting to meet a minor for sex and possession of child pornography.
According to legal records, the employees arrested included tour guides, security guards, a costumer, and maintenance workers.
Of the 35 arrests made so far, a total of 32 have been convicted. According to authorities, two of the cases involved men who were in possession of child pornography while on Disney grounds.
One of the men arrested, Robert Kingsolver, believed he was going to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex, however, upon arrival at the agreed-upon location, he was greeted by investigators instead.
Kingsolver, who is married with children, later claimed he was just trying to protect the girl.
“My kids know me, and they know how much I care for kids. They know that their dad is not somebody that will go out and hurt a young child. They know their dad is somebody that would go out and protect a young child at any cost,” said Kingsolver.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters, “Wherever you find children, you'll find sexual predators that want to be there.”
Another man arrested was 40-year-old Allen Treaster, who worked as a concierge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Police say Treaster approached children online under the alias, “Big Teddy Bear for younger chaser.”
Treaster had unknowingly been communicating with a detective posing as a 14-year-old boy, and was arrested when he showed up to meet the young boy and “fulfill a fantasy,” according to text messages.
Treaster, who during an interview with detectives admitted to having engaged in sexual intercourse with a teen just weeks prior to his arrest, has pleaded not guilty.
“So you still went for that, to have sex with him, knowing he was 15 years old?” A detective asked Treaster during an interrogation, “Yes,” Treaster responded, CNN reported.
Another case involved a man named Cedric Cuthbert, who worked as a night custodial manager at Disney’s Port Orleans resort.
Sheriff Judd believes that Disney should be more active in the use of polygraphs when considering applicants for potential employment.
“Anyone that works around children, whether it’s a church, in the nursery, or whether it’s Disney or any of our other theme parks, we should be able to give a polygraph examination to them,” said Judd.
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, (R-Fla.) who also supports the polygraph initiative said: “We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to our children, we owe it to our future to make sure we don’t let the next predator find a victim.”
