163 kids rescued from ‘hands of evil’ as police issue several statements following three arrests

Last week, over 160 missing kids were rescued in a landmark multi-state effort dubbed Operation Statewide Shield. 

From August 17 to August 21, a multi-agency plan was enacted that “focused on identifying, locating, and recovering missing children under the age of 18.”

Though focused on Florida, the five-day operation saw kids retrieved from six states, one US territory, and 12 foreign countries. In Florida alone, 46 kids were rescued from Tampa Bay, 41 from Miami, 32 from Jacksonville, 21 from Orlando, 12 from Fort Myers, eight from Pensacola, and three from Tallahassee. 

The 163 kids were a range of ages, from as young as two months old to 17 years old. 

Police issued several statements after Operation Statewide Shield

Credit: FDLE

To date, Operation Stateside Shield was the largest child recovery mission in US history. In 2025, a similar mission called Operation Dragon Eye saved 60 kids in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.  

“Many of these kids have been victimized by those who prey on the most vulnerable,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said about the historic victory last week. “Thanks to the outstanding work of Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, and our state and local partners, these children are now safe and receiving the care they deserve.”

Sadly, many of the missing children “had experienced various levels of abuse, neglect, exploitation or exposure to other criminal activity.” The reasons they were missing in the first place also varied. Some were victims of kidnapping or child trafficking, but others were illegally taken in custody disputes or domestic situations. 

After being rescued, the kids were taken to “designated recovery hubs, where they received support from social services, child welfare professionals, medical providers, victim advocates and other child-centred resources.”

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Multiple arrests were made during the operation, but there are even more to follow, the Attorney General said. 

One man, Michael Corey Prescott, was charged with three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, one count of felony battery, and one count of aggravated assault. Additionally, Robert Ferral Allison was charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 16 years old, and Jayden Allen Harwood was arrested on charges of interference in a child custody case and resisting officers. 

“Operation Statewide Shield demonstrates the power of collaboration and the unwavering commitment shared by all participating agencies and organisations to achieve a singular mission: Find our kids and bring them home,” Commissioner Mark Glass, from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, said in a later release. 

Credit: FDLE

At the same press conference, the FDLE said that the kids were taken from “the hands of evil”, and that the criminals responsible would “die tired”. 

“I’m deeply proud of the efforts of our state leaders and sister agencies, our DJJ team members, and the partners who worked tirelessly to bring these children home and provide them with the continuing support they need,” Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Matt Walsh said. 

But amidst the landmark success, agencies have said there is still more work to be done, more kids to be saved, and more “predators” to “hunt.”

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Featured image credit: FDLE