What's Up With The NFL Questions At This Sex Trafficking Press Conference? 

Earlier today, a group of law enforcement agencies on Florida’s Treasure Coast announced that arrest warrants had been issued for 173 people on charges including human trafficking, racketeering, and deriving support from prostitution, TCPalm.com reported. The arrests were the result of an investigation into several massage parlors that, law enforcement said, lured young women with the promise of legitimate work, then pressured them into prostitution.

At the local press conference announcing the arrests, there was an unexpected question that was raised repeatedly. (The full video is below.) A little after the the 37-minute mark, you can hear someone ask about “prominent individuals” who were caught in the investigation. Vero Beach police chief David Currey says of the people caught, “they’re all notable.”

The very next question, from the same person, is, “Were there any NFL players that were a part of this?” Currey responds by saying, “We don’t have any in this county as of now.”

Pro sports comes up again about 51 minutes in, when the same person asks if anyone “retired or people who work in another professional sports capacities” were connected to the case. Currey responds: “I don’t know of anyone that was an athlete. The same person follows up asking, “An owner or a coach or anything?” Currey: “I don’t know. Not to my knowledge... to our knowledge no.” He later says again that they have not arrested any professional athletes.

The full press conference is below.

Now, look, I’m not a mind reader. I can’t even be certain who is asking the questions. But I have been a reporter at many local press conferences held by law enforcement. You don’t ask questions like this—let alone repeat them several times—for fun. You ask because you heard something.

I’d like to hear what the hell that something is. Know anything? Drop us a line via email or, for added security, use our SecureDrop system. You also can send me encrypted email  using my PGP or DM me on Twitter.