A 17-year-old missing girl and a two-year-old toddler are home safe now after being rescued from a child sex trafficking ring, officials announced last week.
Following a multi-week undercover human trafficking operation in Central Florida, 89 individuals have been arrested, including a Hillsborough County high school teacher. The sting, resulting in over 1,217 felony charges, coincides with nationwide efforts under the Trump administration to combat child trafficking.
Stephen Fabic, a 41-year-old illegal immigrant from the Philippines and math teacher working at Hillsborough High School at time of arrest, was among the 89 individuals arrested.
According to HCSO officials, Fabic – believing he was communicating with a teenager online via a dating app – offered to pick up the minor and transport them to his home to engage in sexual activity. The conversations took place with an undercover detective posing as the teen. Fabic traveled to the arranged meeting location, where he was arrested. He faces multiple felony charges, including attempted lewd or lascivious battery, use of computer services to solicit illegal acts, traveling to meet a minor after using computer services to solicit certain illegal acts, and harmful explicit communication to a minor.
A spokesperson for the HCSO confirmed to Deported.News that Fabic is also being held on an ICE detainer. Fabic, who entered the country illegally, now faces multiple felony counts and deportation orders, according to officials.
🚨89 Arrested in Human Trafficking Operation🚨
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested 89 individuals during a multi-week undercover operation targeting those seeking to sexually exploit children and purchase sex, resulting in more than 1,200 felony charges.
Between… pic.twitter.com/30DArBPGYM
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) March 3, 2026
The operation, conducted by the sheriff’s Human Trafficking Section and Internet Predator Unit, focused on those seeking to sexually exploit children or purchase sex through chat apps and online arrangements.
Suspects believed they were communicating with minors and arranged meetings, but were actually interacting with undercover detectives and were arrested upon arrival.
The effort led to the rescue of a 2-year-old toddler, who was the victim of sexual exploitation, and a missing 17-year-old girl exploited for commercial sex—both of their alleged traffickers are now behind bars awaiting trial.
“In every instance, they were communicating with law enforcement and arranging their own arrest,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “If you are using a hotel room, a chat app, or a fake profile to pursue a child, we are there. Our detectives will follow the digital trail all the way to your door.”
The announcement comes amid a wave of large-scale stings targeting online predators and sex buyers across the U.S.
A Scottsdale, AZ investigation, conducted on the same timeline but led by the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit, resulted in 173 arrests on charges including child sex trafficking, attempted sexual conduct with a minor, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, transporting for prostitution, weapons misconduct, drug possession and outstanding warrants.
Similarly, no children were placed in danger by law enforcement, as decoys were used. During arrests, several trafficking victims were also rescued and are now receiving services, though specific details have yet to be released about the victim’s ages.
“Scottsdale Police remain committed to protecting vulnerable victims and holding offenders accountable through continued enforcement and strong partnerships throughout the region,” officials stated.
These parallel operations highlight intensified efforts by local agencies in cooperation with the Trump administration to combat online child exploitation and sex trafficking through undercover digital investigations.
