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.
The very fact that this is happening in the United States is unconscionable. There should be swift permanent punishment with zero tolerance to those who traffic people. Why all those civil rights advocates so deafening quiet when it comes to this form of slavery? The death penalty would be a good deterant and a permanent solution if it weren’t for the skewed justice system. Victims rights first.
I don’t understand why this isn’t a huge, nationwide story. Who specifically are these trafficker’s?
Florida is sounding better and better to me. I hope these poor children can recover from this nightmare.
Joe Biden and his accomplices should be tried as accessories to trafficking children and every other crime committed against these children, if they prove any of these children never would have been in this country. That is how to stop a lot of this border lawlessness. Before that happens, try these sex offenders and upon conviction castrate every male that had sex with these children as part of their punishment. That will stop them from ever doing that to another child.
Thanks to Pres. Trump’s pro-active policies with the support of Republican State officials, these children are saved. Jesus Christ is happy with this administration with Christian soul. These children should be given preference for green cards, then citizenship, because they have suffered enough . May they thrive in good old USA!
It sickens me that these traffickers can find pigs to purchase these kids for sex.
These sex traffickers need to be perp walked and summarily executed. That should send a message to these satanic criminals who are thinking about endangering minors. God forbid that some radical libtard judge orders their release, like that sack-of-crap judge did yesterday with “the Maryland dad.”
May God bless the people who rescued those children. I hope those traffickers receive their just reward.
Could this successful raid occur in sanctuary states like California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey? After all, local law enforcement is heavily discouraged from cooperating with federal law enforcement. And many of the bleeding heart DA’s would have been letting the perps out on low bail amounts so they could keep their enterprises operating while awaiting trial. Wake up, Democrats, unless you truly don’t care about the safety of your constituents.
Gee, why didn’t this make top billing on the mainstream media stations evening news?
What happens to all the “unaccompanied” minors who are allowed to enter the country, there are thousands of them where do they end up? How severe is the punishment for those who provide fodder for this industry and those who use it such as Epstein clients, there would be a list of who is who in the rich and famous, never mind Prince Andrew, he is nobody, give us the real names.
This is wonderful and heart-breaking at once. Stopping the human trafficking should be top priority for all of our people in law enforcement. Thank you D.A. Uthmeier ad and Di Santis for making this happen. We need more states to step up and rid their states of these horrific traffickers!
RESCUE MORE!!!!! This is EVIL personified.
Democrats will find a deep State radical left-wing Marxist judge to block it and order the authorities to return the children back to their captors.
ANYONE who is involved in this heinous crime against these young people should be executed ASAP. You cannot “rehabilitate” perverts and criminals like this liken the bleeding-hearts advocate. Just eliminate them! Hopefully, these poor victims can find some solace and peace in their lives after their horrific experiences. The OBiden Administration and the DemoKKKRATS are DIRECTLY responsible for this hideous crime with their “open border” policy.
a GOP state
Michael J,
I agree completely!! I can assure you that very few Americans truly understand how much of a problem child and human trafficking really is in our cities!!
Our Elected Officials stand silently, yet somehow keep getting re-elected! Our Churches stand silently while many Pastors hide behind the pulpit, forgetting that God holds us accountable.
All Americans should be appalled and willing to stand up and speak out, defending our law enforcement, our President our Constitution and the Word of God!!
The Calvary to the rescue and brought back 60 children who have been used, and God knows what happened to them while they were held by traffickers. I sincerely hope all the traffickers are arrested, and hanged, drawn & quartered; then send them to Hell for Satan to deal with!! God bless Florida and America!!
Victory & Justice
that will be a revelation story from the abducted.