Raul Brown is spending the rest of his life in a Florida prison for child trafficking.
Nine days from now, millions of international visitors will arrive for the World Cup.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier just made sure every predator on earth knows those two facts are connected.
1600 Arrests, 3275 Years, and No Plea Deals for Anyone Who Goes After Kids
Since February 2025, Florida has arrested more than 1,600 child predators and human traffickers.
The men and women convicted during that stretch received a combined 3,275 years in prison – and paid more than $53 million in fines, restitution, and court costs.
Active human trafficking cases jumped 28% compared to 2024.
Convictions climbed 32%.
Total charges filed shot up 54% from 2024 to 2025.
Marquett James got 120 years in Hillsborough County.
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2061908165218693526?s=20
Raul Brown got life in Palm Beach County.
"We prosecute to the absolute fullest," Uthmeier said Tuesday. "We don't give out plea deals when people go after our kids."
Operation Dragon Eye last June rescued more than 60 missing children – many confirmed as trafficking victims.
Operation Home for the Holidays in November recovered 120 children across the state.
Uthmeier Named the Threat Out Loud and Dared Traffickers to Show Up
Miami is hosting seven World Cup matches starting June 11 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Florida already ranks third in the country for human trafficking victims.
Miami-Dade is number one in the state.
Uthmeier didn't soften any of that at Tuesday's press conference.
"We anticipate the World Cup will be the largest human trafficking location in world history," he said – "the nature of the international presence, the money, the coastline, the entertainment, a lot of people from other countries where laws are different, and they're accustomed to some sick behaviors that might be legal or more permissive there."
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2061883242567905326?s=20
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Assistant Commissioner John Vecchio followed him at the podium.
"While we welcome visitors to Florida to enjoy events like the FIFA World Cup that are set on a global stage, we need you to know: if you come to our home and take advantage of Floridians and our visitors, we will hold you accountable."
The federal government's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network agreed the threat is real.
They issued a formal notice this month ordering banks across the country to watch for suspicious financial activity tied to trafficking around the World Cup – an extraordinary step that confirmed what Florida already knew months ago.
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle's South Florida unit has been preparing since last summer, moving resources away from street-level operations and toward the online platforms where traffickers now recruit and advertise victims.
Biden Handed Traffickers the Pipeline. Florida Closed It.
The contrast with what happened under Biden couldn't be sharper.
https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/2061479284359774464?s=20
His administration waved in millions of unvetted migrants, lost track of tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors, and created the exact supply chain traffickers depend on.
Florida closed that pipeline at the state level while Washington kept it wide open for four years.
Now the World Cup arrives and Florida is the most prepared state in the country – 1,600 arrests, 3,275 combined years behind bars, and an attorney general who goes on camera and tells predators exactly what they're walking into.
Uthmeier put it the only way it needed to be said.
"With over 1,600 child predators and human traffickers arrested since February of last year, we are setting records that should keep the bad guys up at night."
Nine days.
They've been warned.
Sources:
- Florida Attorney General's Office, "Florida Announces Record Anti-Trafficking Crackdown Ahead of 2026 World Cup," June 2, 2026.
- CBS12 News, "Florida Braces for World Cup with Human Trafficking Crackdown as Arrests Rise by 30%," June 2, 2026.
- Local10/WPLG, "Florida Attorney General Holds News Conference in Miami," June 2, 2026.
- WLRN, "Miami-Dade, State Law Enforcement Partner to Combat Human Trafficking Ahead of World Cup Games," February 20, 2026.
- Daily Citizen, "Florida AG Announces 122 Children Rescued in Operation Home for the Holidays," November 20, 2025.
- FinCEN, "FinCEN Issues Notice on the Threat of Human Trafficking During the 2026 FIFA World Cup," May 2026.
