A five-day sweep across Florida and across international borders ended with the recovery of 163 missing children, marking the largest operation of its kind in state history, Florida officials announced.
The effort, dubbed Operation Statewide Shield, brought together local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies alongside private and non-profit groups. Investigators focused on finding missing youths between the ages of 2 months and 17 years old.
“Many of these kids have been victimized by those who prey on the most vulnerable,” said Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Thanks to the outstanding work of FDLE, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, and our state and local partners, these children are now safe and receiving the care they deserve. Florida will continue leading the recovery of missing children, hunting down every predator, and prosecuting abusers to the fullest extent of the law.”
The sweep used real-time intelligence and field teams across several regional hubs. Tampa saw the highest number of recoveries at 46, followed by 41 in Miami, 32 in Jacksonville, 21 in Orlando, 12 in Fort Myers, eight in Pensacola, and three in Tallahassee.
Search efforts also extended beyond state lines. Teams tracked leads into Alabama, California, Ohio, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Tennessee. Internationally, investigators worked cases connected to Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominica, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain, and Taiwan.
Authorities reported that many of the minors had faced abuse, neglect, exploitation, or human trafficking. Once found, officers brought the children to regional recovery centers where medical personnel, social workers, and victim advocates provided immediate care. Case details were logged into the Missing and Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse to formally close the files.
“Operation Statewide Shield demonstrates the power of collaboration and the unwavering commitment shared by all participating agencies and organizations to achieve a singular mission: find our kids and bring them home,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass. “This operation brought together state, local, and federal partners, to safely return home 163 missing children.”
Officers made several arrests during the sweep. Charges filed so far include counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, lewd and lascivious battery on a victim aged 12 to 16, interference with child custody, and resisting arrest without violence. Authorities stated that more arrests are expected.
“The results of this combined law-enforcement operation should make one thing very clear: Florida will never tolerate you harming our children,” said Representative Danny Alvarez. “To every sick person in this society who even tries it, if you think you got away with it you should keep looking over your shoulder every second of your life because we’re coming, and we will never rest in order to protect our children and their futures.”
Jonathan Stephens, Assistant Secretary for the Florida Department of Children and Families, pointed to the broad coalition behind the effort.
“The success of Operation Statewide Shield reaffirms what partnership can accomplish when government, faith organizations, not for profits, and the private sector come together, share their strengths and use their collective expertise to protect children across this state,” Stephens said. “Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the Department will continue to foster opportunities to collaborate with local and state partners to maximize our impact.”
FDLE led the initiative, building on past models from U.S. Marshals-led efforts like Operations Dragon Eye and Home for the Holidays. Legal guidance came from Rita Peters, Special Counsel to the Attorney General for Human Trafficking.
Key planning partners included FDLE Tampa, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Department of Juvenile Justice, Baycare, More to Life, and the Florida Human Trafficking Victims Fund.
Thirteen county sheriff’s offices assisted directly: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Orange, Manatee, Sarasota, Jacksonville, Clay, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Flagler, and Escambia, along with municipal police departments. Multiple investigations connected to the sweep remain active.
Anyone with information regarding a missing or endangered child in Florida can contact the FDLE Missing and Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 1-888-FL-MISSING (1-888-356-4774) or reach out to their local law enforcement agency.
Nationwide, tips can be submitted 24/7 to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visiting missingkids.org. Authorities advise that families do not need to wait 24 hours to report a child missing; reports should be filed immediately.
READ: Florida Fentanyl Deaths Drop 42% As Moody Pushes Stricter Drug Laws In D.C.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
