Attorney General James Uthmeier announces the arrest of 48 individuals and the filing of 153 charges in Florida’s largest-ever undercover operation targeting online child predators
Ocala, Florida – In what officials are calling a record-breaking effort to protect children from online predators, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrests of 48 individuals and the filing of 153 charges after a massive undercover sting operation in Central Florida.
The six-day operation, coordinated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, marks the largest child predator bust in the history of the annual initiative. Among those taken into custody were six foreign nationals with ICE detainers, signaling not only the scope of the operation but the growing threat of international actors targeting children online.
“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,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “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.”
The suspects were arrested for attempting to meet minors for sex or for sending them explicit content through the internet. In reality, the children they believed they were communicating with were undercover law enforcement officers posing as minors. Many of the online encounters began on widely used social platforms, including Snapchat, which has come under fire for enabling these types of interactions.
“My office routinely conducts these types of operations. With each operation, we catch more and more. The number of offenders only goes up,” said Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods. “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.”
Law enforcement agencies involved in the operation included a wide coalition: the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, and local police departments from Ocala, Port Orange, and Lake City, as well as the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and State Attorney’s Office of the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
“I had the privilege of being able to see this operation firsthand, and it was nothing short of remarkable,” said State Attorney Bill Gladson. “Sheriff Woods and his deputies did an outstanding job catching and removing 40 predators from the Central Florida community. A special thank you to Attorney General James Uthmeier and the Office of Statewide Prosecution for their commitment to keeping our community safe.”
The Office of Statewide Prosecution also highlighted the role of Snapchat in facilitating the criminal acts. According to Uthmeier’s office, the platform was repeatedly used by predators to contact minors and attempt to arrange in-person meetings. As a result, Florida has filed a lawsuit against Snapchat, accusing the company of violating state law and misleading parents about the dangers associated with their platform.
The lawsuit, filed in April, references Florida’s HB3 law and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, claiming Snapchat has failed to implement adequate protections despite knowing the risks to children.
The 48 suspects now face a wide array of serious charges, including:
• 34 counts of Traveling to Meet a Minor for Illegal Sexual Conduct
• 5 counts of Human Trafficking
• 48 counts of Using a Computer to Solicit a Child for Sexual Conduct
• 40 counts of Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device to Facilitate a Felony
• 14 counts of Transmitting Material Harmful to a Minor
• Additional charges such as Drug Offenses, Resisting Arrest, Fleeing Law Enforcement, Probation Violations, and Reckless Driving
Among the arrested individuals were people who had traveled from Jamaica, El Salvador, Dubai, and India with the intent to engage in criminal activity against children. These foreign nationals are currently being held on ICE detainers pending further investigation.
This sting underscores not only the continued efforts by law enforcement to shield minors from exploitation but also the alarming increase in digital platforms being used for illicit purposes. It also reinforces the message to parents: knowing what your children are doing online is more critical than ever.
Attorney General Uthmeier praised the coordinated law enforcement effort and vowed continued action. “We will never stop fighting to protect Florida’s children. These arrests send a clear message: if you try to harm our kids, we will find you, we will expose you, and we will bring you to justice.”
The operation stands as a stark reminder of the dark corners of the internet—and the aggressive steps being taken to root out those who lurk there with harmful intent.
