43 Missing Children Rescued in Florida Sex-Trafficking Sting
Operation Northern Lights spanned 14 North Florida counties and multiple states; nine arrests announced as authorities describe the case as a landmark effort to locate endangered youths.
Federal and local investigators on Thursday announced the rescue of 43 missing children from sex traffickers in North Florida after a two-week sting operation dubbed Operation Northern Lights. The operation spanned 14 Florida counties and involved more than 80 workers from 25 agencies across law enforcement, social services, attorney offices and nonprofit groups, authorities said.
The children, some as young as one year old, were found across Florida and in neighboring states, with victims located in Louisiana and Mississippi. Nine people were arrested as part of the operation, which federal officials said could yield additional charges tied to human trafficking, child endangerment and custodial interference. The U.S. Marshals Service noted that the youngest victims included a one-year-old missing from Leon County who was recovered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and another one-year-old missing from Okaloosa County who was found outside Jackson, Mississippi, along with a 17-year-old.
Two weeks of coordinated work culminated in what officials described as a landmark operation for Northern Florida. Greg Leljedal, acting U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Florida, called it “the most successful missing child operation ever conducted in Northern Florida.” He said the mission aimed not only to locate missing children but also to provide immediate physical and psychological care to help them begin the path to healing.
The rescue included youths ranging from 13 to 17 years old, with cases tied to multiple counties across the region. In Suwannee County, a 17-year-old was recovered in Meadville, Mississippi; a 15-year-old from Okaloosa County was found in Ocala; and a 13-year-old from Suwannee County was located in Jacksonville, among other recoveries. Authorities emphasized that the operation’s complexity reflected cross-state law enforcement collaboration and the involvement of social services and child advocates to ensure immediate medical resources and ongoing support for the youths.
“The children were considered critically missing,” officials noted, meaning they faced an elevated risk of violent crime, substance abuse, exploitation or other serious harm. After their recovery, the youths were provided with medical care, meals and access to social services and child advocates as part of a coordinated recovery plan.
Derrick Driscoll, chief operating officer of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, said, “Each recovery represents a child removed from harm’s way and an opportunity to connect them with resources that can help prevent future victimization.” Officials stressed that the mission was conducted under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, which has enabled the U.S. Marshals Service to assist other agencies in missing-child cases. Since the law took effect, nearly 4,000 missing children have been found, the agency said, marking a 66 percent hit rate.
Authorities thanked a wide array of sheriffs’ offices and police departments for their participation, including Leon County, Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, Okaloosa County, Walton County, Bay County, Jackson County, Wakulla County, Madison County, Taylor County, Suwannee County, Alachua County and Marion County. Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Randy Tifft noted that some children had been abducted by older adults, underscoring the dangers posed by online-enabled trafficking networks.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier pledged to “bring the strongest charges possible against those who put these kids in harm’s way” and said the investigation highlighted how traffickers exploit online apps to lure vulnerable youths. He added that many of the children are already dealing with school or family troubles, which traffickers attempt to exploit.
Other state and federal partners credited with the operation included the Tallahassee Police Department, Pensacola Police Department and Crestview Police Department, along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, Department of Children and Families and Department of Juvenile Justice. Homeland Security Investigations also participated at the federal level, and advocacy groups such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Called2Rescue and Shadows of Strength supported the effort.
Sheriff Walt McNeil said, “This operation was carried out through a strong partnership between multiple agencies. No child will be left behind.” The Florida attorney general’s office posted on social media that the state was honored to partner with U.S. Marshal Greg Leljedal in the Northern District of Florida to rescue 43 missing children, some as young as 18 months, and to pursue maximum charges against those who harmed them.
As the investigation continues, officials stressed that the operation serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat trafficking poses to children and the importance of cross-jurisdictional cooperation to locate victims and bring offenders to justice. The case also highlighted ongoing federal-state collaboration intended to halt criminal networks and provide durable support for families affected by trafficking, with the goal of preventing future victimization and ensuring safer paths to recovery for the rescued youths.