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TALLAHASSEE -- A sweep of resellers of tickets to central Florida tourist attractions resulted today in the arrests of six individuals and the closure of five businesses, Attorney General Bob Butterworth and Statewide Prosecutor Melanie Ann Hines announced.

Today's action resulted from an investigation conducted by a task force comprised of the Orlando Police Department, the Orange and Osceola county sheriff’s offices, the Office of Statewide Prosecution and the attorney general's office. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the security departments of Walt Disney World and Universal Studios assisted in the investigation. Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Lawson Lamar also assisted in the investigation and will be involved in the criminal prosecutions.

The investigation focused on the practice of reselling nontransferable, multi-day passes to theme parks. Florida law prohibits the sale of such tickets that have already been used at least once for admission to an attraction.

"These ticket sales have victimized countless visitors to Florida who have been turned away at theme park admission gates when their tickets were found to be invalid," Butterworth said.

"Today's action underscores the need for people who purchase multi-day theme park passes to be careful of their sources," Hines said. "What looks like a bargain could in fact be a rip-off."

Arrested in the sweep were John A. Koerner, Ivette Machleid, Alvero Quintino, Malcom Rivel and Ruben Rivera. One other individual whose surname was not immediately known was also taken into custody and more arrests were anticipated.

Those arrested were charged with the unlawful resale of multi-day theme park tickets, which carries a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Quintino and Rivel also were charged with dealing in stolen tickets, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Court injunctions prohibiting the continued resale of theme park tickets were obtained through civil complaints charging that the individuals and businesses engaged in unfair and deceptive trade practices, organized fraud and misleading advertising. Those allegations can result in penalties of up to $10,000 per violation of the state's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.