Operation Safe Return, a March 2026 anti-trafficking effort in Riverside County, CA, recovered 37 high-risk missing teens who had all been missing for months. Led by the Riverside Sheriff’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and the U.S. Marshals, with CA DOJ and local aid, teams spanned Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, and LA counties, plus northern CA, AZ, and NV.
Children received advocacy, medical care, and resources before guardian reunions; some were victims of trafficking or assault. Seven arrests ensued, including one federal sex trafficking case. Gov. Gavin Newsom praised the partnership on social media, highlighting inter-agency success amid ongoing child exploitation concerns.
Exposing the story, a local news broadcast stated, “Dozens of missing children have been safely recovered during a major operation in Riverside County. The effort called Operation Safe Return, was led by the US Marshals Service, with the help from the California Department of Justice and local police, 37 children were found. Authorities say the operation focused on high risk missing children and led to the arrests of seven suspects.”
Adding more context, a press release from the Riverside Sheriff said, “Riverside County encompasses roughly 7,303 square miles and has a population of over 2.5 million people. On average, between 5,000 – 6,000 children runaway and or go missing each year, with a majority returning home shortly after leaving.”
The document added, “For those juveniles who have been missing from one to twenty-four months, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT) and the United States Marshals Service partnered with the below-listed agencies and organizations to conduct a weeklong child recovery operation.”
The law enforcement agency added, “During the operation, more than 50 children between the ages of 14 and 17 years were identified as missing. To accomplish our mission, RCAHT Investigators conducted extensive investigations into the whereabouts of each child.”
“When determining a child’s possible location, a multi-disciplinary team consisting of law enforcement and social services responded to the area for his/her recovery, which included locations in Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Orange County and Los Angeles County,” the same source noted.
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Building on this point, the press release stated, “Utilizing federal and state partnerships, some of the missing children were also located in northern California, Arizona and Nevada. As a result of these coordinated efforts, 37 children were safely recovered,” adding, “Each child received victim advocacy services, medical support when necessary, and follow-up resources prior to being reunited with a legal guardian.”
Concluding the commentary, the Riverside sheriff said, “Unfortunately, some of these children were identified as victims of various crimes, ranging from child sex trafficking to sexual assault. The operation resulted in seven arrests, including one federal arrest for child sex trafficking being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations.”
Watch local media coverage of the dramatic situation here:
Reacting on social media, Governor Gavin Newsom posted, “Thanks to the partnership between
@agrobbonta.oag.ca.gov and the U.S. Marshals Service, 37 missing children were found in a Riverside County operation.”