Tampa Human Trafficking Defense Attorney

Protecting Your Future When Everything Feels Lost

If you’ve been arrested—or even suspect you’re being investigated—for human trafficking in Tampa Bay, you may feel like your life is over. The shock, shame, and fear that follow are overwhelming. But being accused is not the same as being guilty. It’s time to hire a Tampa Human Trafficking Defense Attorney.

At The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., we understand what’s at stake. For over 25 years, attorney Rocky Brancato has built a reputation as one of Tampa Bay’s most skilled and trusted sex crimes defense attorneys, specializing in human trafficking and online sting prosecutions.

When your future, freedom, and reputation are on the line, you need a lawyer who sees what others miss—one who knows how these cases are built, and how to dismantle them.

Understanding Human Trafficking in Florida

Florida’s human trafficking law, Chapter 787, Florida Statutes, covers a wide range of conduct—from labor trafficking and forced servitude to sex trafficking, where the alleged exploitation involves prostitution, pornography, or sexual performance.

This article focuses specifically on sex trafficking charges, since most trafficking prosecutions in the Tampa Bay area arise from online sting operations—not real trafficking rings.

(See our page on Online Sex Sting Operations in Tampa Bay and Online Escort and Prostitution Stings in Tampa Bay.)

The Reality Behind Tampa’s “Human Trafficking” Arrests

Most trafficking arrests in Tampa Bay begin the same way:

• A man contacts what he believes is an adult escort online.
• The photos are of adult women (often officers themselves, taken when they were over 18 but under 20).
• The conversation turns sexual. Then, a bait-and-switch occurs—the officer claims to have younger girls, typically “14 or 15.”

By the time this happens, many targets have been drinking, using drugs, or emotionally or sexually drawn in. Even if they never travel, or even if they back out, charges often include:

• Solicitation to Commit Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Activity
• Travelling to Meet a Minor
• Attempted Lewd or Lascivious Battery
• Use of a Two-Way Communications Device

These are life-changing accusations—often based on words and digital data alone, not real victims. See our page on Strategic Lewd and Lascivious Battery Defense.

Why You Need a Specialist—Not Just a Criminal Defense Attorney

Human trafficking cases demand experience, precision, and insight into how law enforcement operates online. Sex Crimes are Rocky Brancato’s primary specialty.

Before founding his firm, he led an elite sex crimes unit and trained attorneys on these very tactics. That experience now drives his defense of those unfairly accused.

Where other attorneys see guilt, he sees constitutional violations, forensic errors, and entrapment. His work often exposes misconduct so subtle that only a sex crimes specialist would catch it.

When Law Enforcement Crosses the Line

Florida law prohibits law enforcement from using actual minors in sting operations. Yet in some cases, officers engage in behavior that tests the limits of decency—showing partial nudity, sending suggestive images, or pushing the conversation far beyond what the law permits.

This can constitute outrageous government conduct under Florida’s due process protections. Courts have dismissed cases when law enforcement manufactured crime or crossed constitutional lines. See State v. Williams, 623 So. 2d 462 (Fla. 1993); State v. Glosson, 462 So. 2d 1082 (Fla. 1985).

Even if the conduct doesn’t reach that threshold, it can still strengthen an entrapment defense, where police induce conduct that a person was not predisposed to commit. Sometimes, law enforcement is not the primary actor in these cases. See our page on Vigilante Predator Catchers in Tampa Bay.

(See our Tampa Entrapment Defense page.)

Timing Matters: The Earlier You Act, the More Options You Have

If you contact our firm immediately after arrest—or even before charges are filed—we can sometimes intervene directly with the State Attorney’s Office to prevent charges from being filed at all.

Once a formal filing occurs, your name, your reputation, and your freedom are at risk.

Time matters. If you reach The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. early, we can act decisively to shape the narrative before prosecutors do.

Discretion, Dignity, and a Way Forward

We understand that this accusation doesn’t define who you are. People from every walk of life—business owners, veterans, teachers, students—find themselves caught in these operations.

We handle every case with absolute discretion and complete confidentiality. Your story stays between you and your attorney. We protect your name, your family, and your future.

Our goal is simple: to ensure this moment doesn’t define the rest of your life.

Call The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. Today

If you’ve been arrested or believe you’re being investigated for human trafficking in Tampa Bay, call (813) 727-7159 now. All human trafficking charges are handled directly by Tampa Sex Crimes Attorney Rocky Brancato.

We represent clients in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties, and we handle every case with discretion, professionalism, and compassion.

(See our: “Tampa Sex Crimes Defense” practice page.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Human Trafficking Charges in Tampa Bay

What should I do if I’ve been contacted by law enforcement?

Do not explain, justify, or “clear things up.” These conversations are recorded. Instead, contact The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. immediately. Early intervention can prevent charges or shape how the State files them.

Can I be charged even if no minor was involved?

Yes. Law enforcement is prohibited from using real minors, so they pretend to be one. Under Florida law, belief alone is enough for a solicitation charge. That’s why we focus on exposing inducement, manipulation, and lack of intent to commit an actual crime.

(See our “Travelling to Meet a Minor” page)

What if I backed out or said I changed my mind?

If you renounced the plan before any crime occurred—and not out of fear of arrest but because you changed your mind or discouraged it—this can form a complete defense under Florida’s renunciation statute.

(See the Florida Supreme Court’s “Solicitation Jury Instruction”)

What if I never traveled to meet anyone?

You can still face solicitation charges, but lack of travel is a strong indicator that no substantial step toward committing a crime occurred. A skilled defense attorney can use that to argue lack of intent or completion.

What if law enforcement showed a body part, like a nipple, to entice me?

That behavior may support a due process dismissal for outrageous government conduct or bolster an entrapment defense. Florida courts have repeatedly condemned tactics that manufacture criminal behavior rather than detect it.

What if law enforcement used actual children?

That would be unlawful and unethical. Real minors are never permitted in sting operations. If this ever occurs, it may warrant dismissal and independent legal action against the agency.

What if I wasn’t serious—I just wanted to learn more or report it?

Intent is key. If you were curious, conflicted, or planning to report it, that must be proven through messages, timing, and tone. A seasoned sex crimes attorney can use those details to dismantle the prosecution’s theory.

Why should I choose The Brancato Law Firm, P.A.?

Because this is not a routine criminal case—it’s your life, reputation, and freedom. Rocky Brancato has over 25 years of courtroom experience, most of it focused on sex crimes. He personally reviews every chat, transcript, and recording to find the defenses others overlook.

Clients trust him for his discretion, his insight, and his results. See our page on Comparing Top Sex Crimes Lawyers in Tampa.

About the Author

This article was written by Rocky Brancato, founding attorney of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., a Tampa-based criminal defense firm focused on sex crimes, trafficking, and major felony defense. He is also the author of “How to Choose a Major Crimes Attorney–or Any Criminal Defense Attorney for That Matter”, a book designed to help individuals make informed choices when everything is at stake.

Learn more about Rocky Brancato.