The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO-MDFL) has announced its participation in National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, joining efforts with the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) to combat human trafficking and support victims. The observance aims to increase operational efforts, public awareness, and partnerships among federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe stated, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to vigorously pursue and prosecute human traffickers throughout the Middle District of Florida and beyond. In addition, we have partnered with non-governmental organizations, advocates, and concerned citizens throughout our district’s 35 counties to raise awareness within communities and facilitate critical resources to victims.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized ongoing efforts: “This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited. Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.”
United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem highlighted recent initiatives: “Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us. The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.”
FBI Director Kash Patel added that collaboration remains a priority: “During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country. The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers.”
In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159 aimed at protecting Americans from invasion by directing DOJ and DHS leaders to establish Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) nationwide. These task forces focus on eliminating criminal cartels, gangs, transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), cross-border smuggling operations—including those involving children—and enforcing immigration laws.
Since January 20, 2025, six individuals—Delon Smith, Demontrae Fagan, Jazzmen Gaskins, Jordan Woods, Fredi Agustin-Vasquez y Guardado, and Marlon Ronaldo Canas Trochez—have been charged with offenses related to human trafficking in the Middle District of Florida. Additional investigations remain ongoing.
The office also reported success in extraditing an alleged fugitive trafficker.
Throughout 2025 USAO-MDFL worked with law enforcement agencies as well as community partners on forums addressing both general human trafficking issues as well as online safety for children. On August 14th U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe participated as a panelist at the Space Coast Human Trafficking Task Force’s symposium focused on child online safety; more than 200 attendees representing law enforcement entities government NGOs educators victim advocates social service providers took part in sessions covering prosecution strategies prevention methods public safety partnerships.
Looking ahead into January 2026 DHS/DOJ plan increased resource allocation for anti-trafficking efforts including prioritizing investigations at multiple federal/state locations—with particular attention paid toward border states—coordinating victim recovery through FBI squads/other multi-agency task forces partnering with AMTRAK/FAMS for reporting outreach distributing Backpage-related restitution funds organizing seminars/outreach events at educational institutions highlighting HSTF roles.
On August 25th HSTF began a major operation called September Surge which included over 400 actions nationwide; within just over six weeks these resulted in more than three thousand arrests/seizures involving members from various criminal organizations significant quantities of weapons currency narcotics.
