Florida’s “Operation Dragon Eye” was successful in rescuing 60 children who were missing, endangered, or victims of human trafficking, state officials announced Monday.
Republican Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a press briefing: “We are here to announce the most successful completion of the largest child rescue operation, not just in Florida history, but in the United States history.” He went on to say, “Protecting our kids and keeping Florida the safest state to raise a family is our number one priority. Today is a result of the hard work to deliver on that promise.”
For two intense weeks, the U.S. Marshals Service, in collaboration with Florida state and local authorities, conducted a sweeping operation across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties in the Tampa Bay area. This coordinated effort united 20 federal, state, and local agencies, mobilizing over 100 law enforcement officers, investigators, and support personnel.
The children, ranging in age from 9 to 17, were found in a variety of dire circumstances, including situations involving human trafficking, abduction, and endangerment. Upon rescue, each child received immediate medical evaluations and psychological support to address the physical and emotional trauma they had endured.
U.S. Marshal William Berger revealed the operation’s dual mission: to locate and rescue vulnerable children while targeting the criminal networks responsible for their exploitation. “[E]xperience tells us,” he noted, “if the offenders are not apprehended, they will reconnect with these children.”
The team arrested eight predators, charging them with heinous crimes including human trafficking, child endangerment, and drug trafficking. Bonds for these offenders ranged from no bond to a staggering $250 million.
Fox News reported, “The operation uncovered the gut-wrenching realities of sex trafficking—including several young girls who were pregnant, one of them carrying the child of her trafficker.” According to authorities, the investigation is ongoing “and additional charges may follow.”
In a statement, Uthmeier, speaking as both state attorney general and a father of three, underscored the mission’s heart. “The real heroes behind this operation are the law enforcement who built and executed this mission,” he said. “As your Attorney General and a father of three young kids, protecting children is my top priority. If you victimize children, you’re going to prison, end of story.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass captured the operation’s profound impact. “Sixty kids saved,” he said. “That number sends the message that Florida will never be a safe place for traffickers. At FDLE, we will continue to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. And to any family still missing their child, we will never stop searching until we make sure they are brought home safely.”
Berger’s final words echoed the operation’s unprecedented scale: “[T]he successful recovery of 60 missing children, complemented with the arrest of eight individuals, including child predators, signifies the most successful missing child recovery effort in the history of the United States Marshals Service; or to my knowledge, any other similar operation held in the United States.”
According to The Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center, roughly 840,000 U.S. children are reported missing annually. And Florida, with its large population and major transportation hubs, has long been a haven for traffickers seeking to exploit vulnerable populations. As such, while “Operation Dragon Eye” marks a significant triumph, authorities warn that human trafficking remains a pervasive threat. In 2024 alone, Florida received over 1,830 trafficking signals, leading to the identification of 1,874 victims, many of them minors lured through manipulation or online platforms, as reported by Fox.
In response, Florida has intensified its efforts. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently allocated $4.9 million to expand emergency shelter beds and staff support for trafficking victims, alongside $900,000 in grant funding for the FDLE. As DeSantis previously affirmed, “Florida is being proactive about stopping human trafficking.”
Mary Szoch, director of Family Research Council’s Center for Human Dignity, praised the operation’s monumental success in a statement to The Washington Stand. “Attorney General James Uthmeier should be commended for his commitment to upholding the dignity of every human being,” she said. “The rescue of these 60 trafficked children is a huge accomplishment for the state of Florida.”
Szoch concluded with a call to action: “Every single person’s life matters, and no one should be exploited as if he or she was an object. We should all continue to pray for the well-being of these 60 children, and we should thank God for the work they are doing in Florida to uphold the sanctity of life in all of its stages.”
Reprinted with permission from The Daily Signal by Sarah Holliday.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
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