An investigation by the US Marshals Service finds 60 missing children in Florida

Missing children found (not pictured) – Pictured: Law enforcement pulls over vehicle – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Michael O’Keene

At a news conference on June 23, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and other officials stated that 60 “critically” missing children in the Tampa Bay area had been rescued as a consequence of a huge investigation into child sex trafficking.

According to state officials, “Operation Dragon Eye” involved 20 agencies and was headed by the U.S. Marshals Service Middle District of Florida. Eight persons were taken into custody on allegations that included drug possession, drug trafficking, child endangerment, and human trafficking.

The goal of the investigation was to securely locate or retrieve “critically missing” children in Pasco, Pinellas, and Hillsborough counties. Officials stated that the children were between the ages of 9 and 17.

“I have to curtail my enthusiasm because of the sensitivity of the victims involved in this operation, but the 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,” stated William Berger, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District Florida.

“The law enforcement personnel who developed and carried out this mission are the true heroes behind this operation. Protecting children is my first priority as your Attorney General and a father of three young children,” Uthmeier stated. “If you victimize children, you’re going to prison, end of story.”

Operation Dragon Eye: What is it?

According to a press statement from the U.S. Marshals Service, Operation Dragon Eye was a two-week program “geared to recover or safely locate the most critically missing youth.” The two-week targeted effort resulted in the recovery of 17 boys and 43 girls, according to Uthmeier.

Three main goals guided the operation:

“Recover critically missing youth.”

The young person should get “essential services, including appropriate placement.”

“Deter bad actors exploiting missing child vulnerabilities.”

“The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children ranging from age 9 to 17 were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care,” Berger stated. “In an effort to prevent these young people from returning to the streets and becoming even more victims, this operation also included follow-up assistance.”

“Critically missing children”: what are they?

According to the Marshals Service, children who are crucial missing are “those at risk of crimes of violence or those with other elevated risk factors, such as substance abuse, sexual exploitation, crime exposure, or domestic violence.”

According to a statement made by the Marshals Service, Operation Dragon Eye was the result of “a multidisciplinary task force of federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as social service entities, the medical community, and non-governmental organizations.”

Florida Attorney General’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, St. Petersburg Police Department, Tampa Police Department, BayCare, Bridging Freedom, Bridges of Hope, Children’s Home Network, Children’s Network of Hillsborough County, Family Support Services Pasco Pinellas Counties, More Too Life, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and Redefining Refuge were among the other agencies.

“Devoting endless effort to ensuring that every child has a secure upbringing”

Nearly 4,000 missing children have been found or recovered by the Marshals Service since the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act was passed in 2015. According to a statement released, 66% of the instances the Marshals Service received included the recovery or location of missing children. Sixty-one percent of those retrieved were located within seven days.

In 2024, the Marshals Service and other federal, state, and local agencies across the United States executed a countrywide operation known as “Operation We Will Find You 2,” which took place from May 20 to June 24 and resulted in the recovery of 200 missing children.

According to the Marshals Service at the time, 123 children were recovered and taken out of hazardous situations during the 2024 operation, which was carried out with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Law enforcement or child welfare organizations reported that the remaining 77 missing children had been discovered and were safe.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s executive director, Callahan Walsh, praised the organizations that worked together to protect children during Operation Dragon Eye.

“We’re proud to have supported the U.S. Marshals Service and our partners in Florida to recover these missing children and provide critical support to those who need it most,” Walsh said in a press release. “NCMEC is honored to stand alongside these teams and will continue working tirelessly to help make sure that every child has a safe childhood.”


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