A man who spent over a decade portraying Santa Claus at yearly Christmas parades and community festivals has been apprehended on child molestation charges, authorities in Florida have disclosed.
“As you can observe, here is a picture of Santa Claus. And we have arrested Santa Claus,” declared Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd during a press briefing, displaying the booking photo of the detained individual.
According to the Sheriff, this individual, identified as Thomas Allen Hicks, was well-known across Polk County, Central Florida, and Lakeland as a hired Santa Claus, having held this role for more than ten years. Sheriff Judd further specified that Hicks was among 19 suspects taken into custody as part of an ongoing child exploitation probe.
The investigation alleges that Hicks made efforts to arrange a meeting with a 13-year-old girl to commit a sexual offense.
The Sheriff further outlined the charges filed against Hicks: trafficking, traveling to meet a minor, using a computer to solicit a child, and utilizing a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
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