Authorities announced that dozens of missing teenagers were located during a coordinated anti-trafficking effort carried out across Riverside County and neighboring regions.
The operation, known as Operation Safe Return, resulted in the recovery of 37 minors between the ages of 14 and 17 during a weeklong search effort led by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and supported by numerous local, state and federal partners.
Investigators said several of the recovered youths were believed to be victims of serious crimes, including sexual assault and child sex trafficking.
Law enforcement agencies worked alongside victim advocacy organizations and community groups to locate the missing children and provide immediate support services. Officials said the youths were offered medical care, counseling resources and other assistance before being reunited with family members or legal guardians when possible.
The effort targeted cases involving minors who had been missing anywhere from one month to two years. Authorities used information from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database to identify children considered at high risk.
In total, investigators reviewed more than 50 missing juvenile cases during the operation. The 37 youths who were located were found across multiple jurisdictions, including Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange counties, as well as in Northern California, Arizona and Nevada.
The operation also led to seven arrests, including what federal officials described as a major arrest tied to child sex trafficking.
The effort brought together several law enforcement units, including the Riverside County Sheriff’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service, along with other federal and local partners.
Officials said the goal of Operation Safe Return is to locate and protect critically missing children—a category used by the U.S. Marshals Service to describe minors considered especially vulnerable due to risks such as exploitation, substance abuse, domestic violence or exposure to criminal activity.
Authorities said investigations connected to the operation are continuing.
