In just four days, Operation Safe Passage led to the arrest of 17 adults who were actively attempting to sexually exploit children online.

This multi-agency operation was led by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, alongside local, state, and federal partners, working together to protect children from predators hiding in plain sight.

Undercover detectives posed as minors on social media and online platforms, the same digital spaces children use every day. During these conversations, suspects lied about their ages, requested explicit photos and videos, and offered money for sex acts involving a child. Each suspect arrived believing they were meeting a child. Instead, they were met by law enforcement.

This operation is a sobering reminder: child predators are not rare, and they are not obvious. At Operation Light Shine, we work alongside law enforcement and trusted partners to support these operations, bring awareness to the public, and ensure those protecting children have the resources they need.