48 Arrested in Florida’s ‘Record-Breaking’ Child Predator Operation

Sheriff Billy Woods speaks at a news conference, in Ocala, Fla., on June 5, 2023. Courtesy of Marion County Sheriff's Office via AP

A recent undercover operation in central Florida targeting online child predators resulted in the arrest of 48 people, including several foreign nationals with immigration alerts, officials announced on July 30.

The operation, which resulted in a “record-breaking” number of arrests for the annual joint law enforcement effort, was coordinated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and involved nine local, state, and federal agencies, according to the Florida Attorney General’s Office.

Among the foreign nationals arrested were individuals flagged with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers from El Salvador, Jamaica, India, and Dubai.

The alleged predators attempted to use online chat and gaming platforms to message and meet with minors, who were actually undercover officers, said officials.

“They were making an arrangement to meet with a child, not an adult, a child they sent disgusting text photos, videos,” Sheriff Billy Woods of Marion County said at a July 30 press conference.

“To put it in perspective, these vile individuals right here ... they showed up with condoms, cocaine, alcohol, and many other drugs for a child. Now keep in mind, this was targeting a 13- to 15-year-old. ... We will not tolerate these crimes. [They] are unexcusable,” he added.

According to Woods, the criminals contacted victims of both genders through social media, especially Snapchat. He warned parents about the importance of protecting their children and keeping a close eye on their internet use.

“One of the biggest things in this press conference is a message to the parents ... you need to pay attention to your children. Now you'll see in all of the affidavits ... the parents out there that have only boys, do not think and do not believe that your sons are not victims in these cases. Do not think that they’re not vulnerable for this to occur,” Woods said.

Attorney General James Uthmeier urged parents to pay special attention to the social media platform Snapchat.

“If your kids are on Snapchat, you'd better check their settings. ... The nature of Snapchat is that photos, videos, and things disappear immediately, making it harder for law enforcement to track misconduct and a preferred avenue for sex offenders to target children,” Uthmeier said at the press conference.

In March of this year, U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Miami sector arrested 10 convicted sex offenders who were illegal immigrants residing in the Florida Keys.

“These arrests were part of a focused, multi-agency effort aimed at securing the Florida Keys and removing dangerous individuals from local communities,” reads a March 17 statement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

On June 30, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported the arrest of four more illegal immigrants previously convicted of child sex offenses.

“Alligator Alcatraz, and other facilities like it, will give us the capability to lock up some of the worst scumbags who entered our country under the previous administration,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement at the time.