Two Walt Disney World cast members have been arrested and face up to forty combined felony counts of possession of child pornography, according to Boston’s WHDH.
The Polk County Sheriff’s office made the announcement on Tuesday that the pair were part of sixteen arrests that resulted from Operation Guardians of Innocence V, which identified “those involved in the possession, promotion, and distribution” of child pornography. Collectively, the sixteen face 1,409 felony charges.
Cast members and roommates Justin Hazan and Arlandres Sims were among those arrested. Hazan, 32, worked at Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, while Sims, 36, ran food at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Both admitted to “downloading and possessing child pornography.” After inspecting their computer equipment, Hazan was charged with fifteen counts of possession of child pornography, while Sims has been charged with twenty-five counts.
Last October, a Disney manager was arrested on suspicion of possessing child pornography.
Sheriff Grady Judd said of the operation: “Those who upload and share child pornography are victimizing children over and over again. Those arrested in this operation create the demand that sustains a child pornographic exploitation distribution pipeline that traumatizes children across the world.”