TAMPA, Fla. – In an unprecedented mission, the U.S. Marshals led a two-week operation with local law enforcement to recover 60 missing children from across the Tampa Bay region.
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The U.S. Marshals Service, in partnership with agencies across Tampa, Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, and St. Petersburg, launched “Operation Dragon Eye” — an intensive recovery mission targeting critically missing and endangered children.
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FOX 13’s Genevieve Curtis was granted inside access to this high-stakes operation, on the front lines, riding along with the U.S. Marshals and a team of detectives as they searched for a 15-year-old girl we’re calling “Paola.”
The mission
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From motels and gas station parking lots to alleyways and rundown neighborhoods, the search for missing children leads investigators into the shadows of everyday life.
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“Can I give you my number in case you see her?” one officer asked a neighbor.
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Since 2015, the U.S. Marshals — best known for tracking fugitives — have been applying their tactical expertise to locate missing children. And in Tampa, that work is hands-on and deeply personal.
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The search
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FOX 13 joined Deputy U.S. Marshal Paul Cerase and Tampa Police Detective Tony Ortiz as they followed up on leads in West Tampa. They were searching for “Paola,” a 15-year-old girl who ran away from her mother’s home.
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“We have serious concerns there may be exploitation occurring,” one detective explained. “Adults don’t just take care of other people’s kids for free.”
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Community tips led the task force to several possible locations, including a corner store and homes where neighbors recognized Paola’s photo. With every knock, detectives repeated the same message: “We just want to get her home safe.”
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READ: Closing arguments in case against man accused of killing 14-year-old girl in a fit of rage
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Big picture view:
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Many of the children on the task force’s list are in the foster care system or have run away multiple times. Law enforcement warns they’re often lured into dangerous situations — exploited in exchange for food, clothing or shelter.
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“They’re our kids being exploited — right here in Florida,” said Dr. Katherine Gomez, the director of human trafficking intervention for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
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At the command center, Gomez and her team work around the clock — cross-referencing tips, tracking known associates, and planning next steps for when a child is recovered.
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When FOX 13 visited the command hub eight days into the operation, more than 40 children had already been found.
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Why you should care:
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Law enforcement is painfully aware of what can happen when missing children slip through the cracks.
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MORE: Search for girl who disappeared while swimming at a Florida beach to end
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Earlier this year, 16-year-old Miranda Corsette was reported missing from her grandmother’s home in Gulfport. She was later found murdered and dismembered. A 35-year-old man has been charged in her killing.
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In 2022, 14-year-old Nilexia Alexander ran away from home. Days later, she was found shot to death near East Tampa. Her accused killer is now facing trial.
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These cases fuel the urgency behind operations like Dragon Eye.
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Recovered
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Local perspective:
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Hours into the search, investigators received a new lead. It pointed them to a nearby home.
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“We know she’s here,” one detective said. “Let me go check.”
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Inside the house, they found “Paola” hiding under a bed.
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“We knocked on the brother’s door. Juvenile was under the bed,” Deputy Marshal Cerase said. “Now, we’ll continue the investigation and determine if charges can be filed.”
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Two adult men in the home claimed they didn’t know Paola was a minor. At this point, no arrests have been made — but investigators said that could change.
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A mission with personal meaning
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What they’re saying:
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Before heading out that morning, Detective Ortiz told us his approach: “I’m going to talk to her mostly as a father. I want to hear her out.”
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And just hours later, Ortiz sat with “Paola” and gently told her: “You have to live your childhood, your mom wants you back.”
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From there, Paola was taken to a special unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital, where she’ll receive physical and mental health care — and the support to begin a safer chapter of her life.
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“A lot of them don’t have any hope,” said Cerase. “We’re trying to change that.”
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Dig deeper:
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Over the course of two weeks, the U.S. Marshals Service, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies across the Tampa Bay area, located and recovered 60 critically missing children, some as young as 9 years old.
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MORE: New Florida law creates Spectrum Alert for missing children with autism
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“The number is not just a statistic,” said Rita Peters, Special Counsel to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. “It actually represents a life and a future that was given one more chance.”
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This effort underscores a hard truth: trafficking isn’t something that happens far away. It’s happening right here in Florida, in every city, in every county.
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“When a child goes missing, the whole community suffers,” said Peters. “Children are not just our future—they are our present.”
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Inside look continues
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Tuesday night at 10 p.m., FOX 13 will take you inside a special recovery wing and introduce you to the people, helping these children on their road to recovery.
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The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Genevieve Curtis.
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