India, April 30 -- A man who played Santa Claus, Thomas Allen Hicks, at Polk County Christmas events was one of 19 people who were arrested during an undercover operation that focused on child predators. The week-long undercover investigation, "Operation Child Protector VIII," began April 20, and was launched by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and several law enforcement agencies.

Detectives worked with investigators from several different sheriff's offices, police departments, and the Florida Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigations Division, according to Fox 13. As many as 19 suspects, including Hicks, were arrested.

Hicks, 68, responded to an ad on a known prostitution site posted by an undercover detective, accordin...