Bongino Announces FBI Apprehended 449 Child Predators, Rescued 224 Kids in 3 Months

by Zachary Mettler | June 24, 2025 | Government Updates

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on Saturday that during his and FBI Director Kash Patel’s first three months of service, the agency arrested hundreds of child predators and rescued hundreds of children from sex trafficking.

Operation Restore Justice resulted in the apprehension of 205 child sex predators and 764 purveyors, while rescuing 115 children, Bongino said. Operation Soteria Shield resulted in the apprehension of 224 child predators and the rescue of 109 children.

“This is just the beginning,” Bongino warned. “If you’re preying on children, we are coming for you.”

In his X post on June 21, Bongino also outlined actions him and Director Patel have taken “to reform the FBI, while keeping the heat on violent criminals, terrorists and foreign threat actors.”

The FBI is also “making progress on a number of high-profile cases,” he revealed, including the coverup of the COVID-19 pandemic and the leak of the draft Dobbs opinion in 2022.

He added,

In conjunction with our federal partners, we apprehended, imprisoned, and deported thousands of illegal aliens. Many of these illegal immigrants had extremely violent criminal histories. We told you the rioting was not going to slow us down. It has not. We are fully engaged.

Update:
As I wrap up my third month in the Deputy position in your FBI, I want to update you on some of the actions the Director and I have taken to reform the FBI, while keeping the heat on violent criminals, terrorists, and foreign threat actors.
Some of these action items you…
— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) June 21, 2025

“There’s a lot more work to be done,” Bongino shared. “For those who have been patient with us, thank you. For those who are out of patience, thank you too. Believe me, we understand.”

The FBI’s success in rescuing hundreds of children from trafficking and sexual slavery is both praiseworthy and heartbreaking.

In addition to the children who have been rescued with the assistance of the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) announced on June 23 it spearheaded an operation in June leading to the recovery or safe location of 60 critically missing children across Florida.

Operation Dragon Eye, deemed the “most successful missing child operation in USMS history,” was intended to recover critically missing youth, provide them with essential services including appropriate placement, and to deter bad actors exploiting missing child vulnerabilities, the USMS revealed in a statement.

Operation Dragon Eye resulted in eight arrests and charges of human trafficking, child endangerment, narcotics possession and custodial interference.

The USMS said recovered children were provided with medical resources, nourishment, social services and child advocates.

“The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children ranging from age 9 to 17 were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care,” said William Berger, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Florida.

“This operation further included follow-up assistance in hopes that these youth will not return to the streets to be further victimized.”

The FBI & USMS’ focus on recovering missing children and bringing alleged offenders to justice is a positive trend under the Trump administration, and a change from the last four years.

The Biden administration failed to investigate over 7,300 reports of human trafficking involving child migrants, data released from the Department of Health and Human Services last month shows.

Furthermore, an investigation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) found Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lost track of at least 32,000 unaccompanied migrant children between 2019 and 2023.

Please pray for all children who have been rescued in recent months, and for those who have yet to be found. Pray for our men and women of law enforcement who are God’s servants rescuing children and bringing perpetrators to justice (Romans 13:1-7).

The Justice Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-373-7888). The Trafficking Hotline also connects victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking with services they need to get help and stay safe.

Related articles and resources:

Counseling Consultation & Referrals

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

NCMEC’s 24/7 call center number: 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678)

My Rescue From Human Trafficking to New Life in Christ

Protecting Your Child From Sexual Abuse

Understanding the Scope of Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking: What You Need to Know

Talking to Your Kids About Sexual Abuse

How to Prevent Sexual Exploitation of Your Child

Parent Fears That Child May Be a Victim of Human Trafficking

Parent Concerns About Kids’ Vulnerability to Human Trafficking