60 children found from Tampa Bay area, eight suspects arrested during 20-agency operation

A two-week, multiagency operation resulted in the recovery or safe location of 60 “critically missing” children from Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said.

The children, who ranged from age 9 to 17, were provided with physical and psychological care, nourishment, social services and child advocates, authorities said Monday at a news conference in Tampa.

Operation Dragon Eye, which took place from June 2 to 13, resulted in the arrests of eight people, one of a human trafficking charge, authorities said. Other charges included child endangerment, narcotics possession and custodial interference, authorities said.

“This is what it’s all about. This is why we do the job,” Uthmeier said.

The attorney general called Dragon Eye the “largest child rescue operation, not just in Florida’s history, but in United States history.”

“Many of these kids have been through painful disastrous situations but, at least today, we’ve rescued them, and we now can work towards recovery,” he said.

Suspects were given bonds ranging from no bond to $250 million. said William Berger, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Florida.

Led by the Marshals Service, the task force involved 20 agencies and more than 100 people from law enforcement at the federal, state and local level, social service entities, nongovernment organizations and the medical community.

St. Petersburg police, which recovered 11 of the youths, arrested two suspects, one on the human trafficking charge, Chief Anthony Holloway said.

“This shows everyone that here, not just in Florida, but in the Tampa Bay area, we are serious about recovering our children and making sure we bring them back home safely,” Holloway said. “To the suspects who are out there: We’re coming to get you.”

Six detectives from the Tampa Police Department’s Special Victims Unit assisted in the operation.

“Each recovery and arrest is more than a statistic. It’s a reminder of our shared commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said.

BayCare Health System provided the children with medical care, and Bridging Freedom, which works to combat child sex trafficking, provided mentorship, the nonprofit said in a Facebook post.

More than half of the youths have been involved in the juvenile justice system, said Katherine Gomez, director of human trafficking intervention at the state Department of Juvenile Justice.

“As you might imagine, an operation of this magnitude requires strong coordination at every level,” noted Taylor Hatch, secretary of the Department of Children and Families.

Hatch said a DCF team provided “critical information, helped shape recovery protocols, deployed child protective investigators, criminal justice coordinators and human trafficking specialists to support this mission in real time.”

Also involved in the initiative were the Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas sheriff’s offices; 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.

The U.S. Marshals Service defines “critically missing” children at risk of crimes of violence or with other elevated risk factors such as substance abuse, sexual exploitation, crime exposure or domestic violence.