Disney World employee arrested for 'attempting to have sex with 8-year-old girl'

Staff member works at Magic Kingdom

(AFP/Getty Images)

A Walt Disney World employee has been charged with trying to arrange a sexual encounter with an eight-year-old girl.

Prosecutors in Florida said Frederick Pohl Jr, 40, was arrested and charged earlier in the week with transferring obscene materials to a minor and attempting to entice her.

Mr Pohl, who lives in Clermont, Florida, near the Orlando home of Disney World, has been detained following his arrest.

According to a criminal complaint, Mr Pohl allegedly engaged in a series of online chat communications to arrange a sexual encounter with the girl.

Mr Pohl believed he was chatting with the minor and her father, but was actually in communication with an undercover federal agent, they said.

Mr Pohl allegedly sent explicit photos of himself to the child, and arranged to meet with her at an Orlando hotel.

He was arrested upon his arrival at the hotel. According to the complaint, he was carrying condoms and a child-size pink dress when he arrived.

Mr Pohl worked at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando. According to WTSP-TV, one of his duties at the amusement park was to help secure lap bars on guests going on rides.

In 2014, CNN reported that at least 35 Disney employees in and around Florida have been arrested and accused of sex crimes involving children since 2006. Last year, a Disney World employee was among the 11 men arrested in a child pornography ring uncovered in Florida.

Disney World has not responded to The Independent’s request for a comment on its employee.