Florida's top law enforcement officials just dropped a bombshell, and it’s one every parent should pay attention to. Newly appointed AG Chief of Staff James Uthmeier announced the arrest of 48 suspected child predators in a sweeping sting operation, with 153 charges filed.
In a record-breaking six-day undercover sting targeting online child predators in Central Florida, the Marion County Sheriff's Office — with critical support from the Office of Statewide Prosecution — led a joint effort involving nine local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The operation resulted in the highest number of arrests ever recorded for this annual initiative, delivering a decisive blow to predators preying on children online. The operation also exposed the use of Snapchat as a platform to target children. Online predators targeted minors through various chat and gaming platforms — including Snapchat — attempting to lure them into in-person meetings, unaware they were communicating with undercover officers. In response, Florida’s Attorney General is taking action, filing a lawsuit against Snapchat for knowingly and willingly violating state laws, including last year’s HB3 and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The lawsuit accuses Snapchat of not only failing to comply with Florida’s child protection laws but also of deliberately misleading parents about the dangers their children face on the platform.
The 153 charges filed in the operation include a wide range of serious offenses, including 34 counts of traveling to meet a minor for illegal sexual conduct, five counts of human trafficking, 48 counts of using a computer to solicit a child for sexual conduct, and 40 counts of unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony. Additional charges include 14 counts of transmitting material harmful to a minor, one count of traveling to meet a minor for illegal sexual conduct facilitated by a guardian, and one count of using a computer to solicit a guardian for illegal sexual conduct with a child. Other charges include fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer (1), resisting arrest without violence (2), various drug-related offenses (4), possession of drug paraphernalia (1), reckless driving (1), and one violation of probation.
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"As a father, I am outraged by the heinous crimes we spoke about today. As Attorney General, I’m proud of the brave officers behind this record-breaking operation,” Uthmeier said. “They came after children, but Florida and federal law enforcement were waiting for them. Thanks to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office for putting this operation together so these men were stopped before they could harm a single child.”
Among those arrested were six illegal immigrants who were previously flagged by ICE, who traveled to Florida from Jamaica, El Salvador, Dubai, and India with the intent to exploit children.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods is urging parents to monitor their children's online activity and be aware of the online threats hiding in plain sight.
"My office routinely conducts these types of operations. With each operation, we catch more and more. The number of offenders only goes up,” Woods said. “Parents, we will never arrest every single one of them. You have to know what your child is doing online, and children have to know what dangers are lurking online. As a Sheriff and as a father, I understand the anger and disgust a parent has towards these types of individuals. I assure you that we will continue to attack this plague head on.”
Editor’s Note: Florida is taking the fight to child predators — and winning. From illegal immigrants targeting minors to Big Tech platforms like Snapchat under fire, Florida is proving it won't back down.
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