A Melbourne man is behind bars after Brevard County deputies say he trafficked a teenage girl, filming her and forcing her into repeated sexual encounters with dozens of men. Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey called the case horrific and said investigators recovered videos that show the victim being prostituted and threatened. According to deputies, the arrests so far include the alleged trafficker and at least one county corrections deputy who appears in the footage.
According to ClickOrlando, Sheriff Ivey said in a social media video that 26-year-old Antonio Guilberto Granados "preyed upon a teenager" and that investigators believe he "trafficked her" and "prostituted her." Ivey publicly warned other men seen in the seized footage that deputies were coming for them, adding in a sheriff’s office post, "There’s only one place for someone who commits human trafficking, and that is the gates of Hell." Deputies say Granados admitted to many of the accusations while claiming he did not know the victim’s age.
How Investigators Say The Scheme Worked
The investigation was launched on April 2 after a school resource deputy was approached by the victim’s mother, as reported by Florida Today. The teen told detectives she met Granados through a mutual friend and that he became controlling, set up a camera in her bedroom, and groomed her on social platforms such as Snapchat, investigators allege. Authorities say video evidence shows the girl was forced into sex acts at locations across Brevard County and that at least 49 different men appear in the recordings.
Arrest, Charges And Overdose
When detectives went to arrest Granados, they found him in his bedroom attempting to overdose on pills, according to ClickOrlando. He was treated at a local hospital, then taken into custody. Granados now faces a slate of charges that include human trafficking, promoting sexual performance by a child, four counts of possessing material depicting sexual conduct by a child, and 20 counts of unlawful sexual acts with certain minors. The sheriff’s office says investigators recovered videos from multiple phones and that Granados threatened to leak the recordings in order to coerce the victim.
Deputy Arrested And Fired
Investigators say one of the men identified in the videos is 36-year-old Brevard County corrections officer Dashawn Willie Edward. He was arrested on April 18 and booked on a charge of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, according to Florida Today. Edward, who had worked for the sheriff’s office for about 10 years, was being held without bond and was immediately fired, the sheriff said. The sheriff’s office has warned other men seen in the footage that investigators will keep working to identify and charge anyone involved.
Legal Outlook And Next Steps
Prosecutors will review the evidence and determine which charges to formally file as detectives continue sorting through the cache of videos and witness statements. The sheriff’s office says more arrests are possible as agents work to identify adults shown in the recordings. Investigators also point to the case as another example of how social apps can be used to groom young people for exploitation.
Help And Reporting
If you or someone you know may be a victim of trafficking, the National Human Trafficking Hotline can connect you to help 24/7 at 1-888-373-7888 or by texting "BeFree" (233733), according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. In emergencies, call 911. Authorities have asked anyone with information related to this investigation to contact the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
