Disney World employee who tried to lure 8-year-old girl to Orlando hotel for sex arrested in undercover operation
The US Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida has announced that a 40-year-old man from Clermont was arrested after he was accused of trying to arrange a sexual encounter with an eight-year-old girl. Prosecutors said Frederick M. Pohl Jr. was charged with transferring obscene materials to a minor and attempting to entice a minor in a release from the Department of Justice.
10News reported that the release said Pohl was investigated by Homeland Security and has been in custody since Tuesday, May 21. William C. Daniels, a public affairs officer for the Middle District of Florida, confirmed that Pohl had been employed at Magic Kingdon at Walt Disney World in Orlando.
According to the criminal complaint, Pohl had communicated with the girl online and tried to arrange to have sex with her. Investigators shared that Pohl believed he was talking to the child and her father, but he was actually talking to an undercover federal agent.
Investigators also said that Pohl sent explicit images of himself and arranged to meet the child at a hotel in Orlando. He was arrested when he got to the hotel and investigators said that he had condoms and a child-sized pink dress with him. The complaint further stated that investigators had asked for employment records that were related to Pohl from a "major amusement park".
When investigators served a search warrant on Pohl's email address, they found two images of an adult man they believed to be Pohl "dressed in an employee outfit" related to the theme park. Investigators from Homeland Security said that Pohl was previously investigated in 2007 for "attempted exploitation of minor children".
According to the complaint, Pohl told investigators that he uses an online chat application on a daily basis. They also learned from Pohl that he talks to those he believes to be adults regarding having sex with minor children and that he talks to those he believes are minors about having sex with them. The complaint said that Pohl estimated the youngest child he sent child porn to was nine to 10-years-old.
Investigators also said that Pohl worked at a theme park, and part of his duties was to help secure guests' lap bars if they looked to be unsecured.
If you have a news scoop or an interesting story for us, please reach out at (323) 421-7514