After five weeks of work, the U.S. Marshals Service successfully rescued children in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties who were in grave danger.
“Operation Seminole Saber,” a multi-agency task group, saved 27 kids from possible human trafficking and other hazardous circumstances. According to Deputy U.S. Marshal Mario Price, the task force had a single main objective.
“The ultimate purpose of the operation is to recover missing children,” Price stated.
In order to locate and retrieve the children, U.S. Marshals collaborated with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Tampa Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and other regional organizations.
“They’ve been reported missing by whoever their guardian is,” Price stated. “Sometimes that’s a family member and sometimes these kids are wards of the state.”
Certain youngsters flee from harmful familial environments, while others are drawn in by the actions of evildoers.
“I do believe these kids are in legitimate danger and I think it’s important that we find them,” Price stated.
When the kids do leave, though, they frequently enter a world for which they are unprepared.
“Kids will run for a variety of different reasons, but they don’t always have plans in place for what they are going to do while on the run,” Price stated.
