Sheriff mocks MAGA influencer as he busts him in human trafficking sting: ‘Influence that'

Florida’s Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd took aim at MAGA influencer and Jan. 6 riot participant Craig Long on Friday after the pro-Trump figure was caught in a human trafficking sting operation.

The sheriff laughed at a press conference that the arrest would provide the influencer with “some content for his social media.”

“Then there's Craig Long we arrested – some of you may recognize him,” Judd said, speaking during a press conference announcing that the sting operation had yielded 266 arrests.

“He's an influencer, he also owns Craig Long Fitness in Tampa, [Florida] – he was [soliciting]. Did I tell you that he's married? That he's got 125k followers on Instagram, 560k followers on TikTok? Well, I'm gonna give him some content for his social media today.”

According to CBS-affiliate 10 Tampa Bay, Long, 41, was a participant in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and is an influential MAGA influencer and strong supporter of President Donald Trump. He was sentenced to six months in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, but was released after Trump signed a blanket pardon for those who stormed the capitol on his first day back in the White House.

When announcing Long’s arrest, Judd didn’t hold back in criticizing Long for his apparent appreciation for law enforcement.

“He was a previous felon who straightened up – really, what we want to see in life. Now he's an influencer, he moves in big circles, even with the president. This is a photograph of the president and his son not long ago,” Judd said, holding up what appeared to be a photo of Trump with Long.

“We like the fact that he likes the cops – heck, he liked them so much, he got caught up in a sting and got to be rubbing up and real close with the cops. He appreciates law enforcement – well, there you go, he got arrested in a human trafficking sting – influence that for a while.”