Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Tuesday that a statewide operation recovered 163 missing children from locations across five continents. Operation Statewide Shield, which involved five days of activity in mid-August, represents the largest child recovery initiative in Florida's history. The effort utilized a multi-agency approach, collaborating with federal and foreign law enforcement.
The recovered children, whose ages ranged from two months to 17 years, were found in Florida, Alabama, California, Ohio, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Tennessee, as well as internationally in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominica, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain, and Taiwan. The operation aimed to locate children who were missing due to various circumstances, including running away, abandonment, neglect, abuse, and trafficking.
"Many of these kids have been victimized by those who prey on the most vulnerable," Uthmeier stated in a release. "Florida will continue leading the recovery of missing children, hunting down every predator, and prosecuting abusers to the fullest extent of the law."
During the operation, three men were arrested and charged in connection with child exploitation crimes. Michael Prescott was arrested on charges including lewd and lascivious acts with a minor and interference with child custody. Robert Ferral Allison faces charges of lewd and lascivious battery on a victim between 12 and 16 years old. Jayden Allen Harwood was arrested on charges of interference in a child custody case and resisting officers without violence. Uthmeier's office indicated that additional investigations are ongoing and more arrests are expected.
Upon recovery, the children were taken to hubs where they received support from social services workers, child welfare professionals, medical providers, and victim advocates. Some children were reunited with their families, while others were placed in foster care. The operation's success allowed for the closure of associated cases with the Missing and Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) directed Operation Statewide Shield, drawing on lessons learned from previous federal operations. Key partners in the initiative included the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and numerous law enforcement agencies at the municipal, county, and federal levels across Florida.