Most people aren’t aware that Florida is ground zero for human trafficking. Eastern European, Asian and Central American Cartels have established a presence facilitating the distribution of harmful substances along with women and children being sold as property and exploited in despicable ways.  

Immigration has always been a big part of the American experience, shaping our country and helping us to thrive. However, if left unchecked, unlawful border crossings threaten the sovereignty of the United States. In 2023, due to the financial collapse in many Central American countries seasoned with corrupt or oppressive governments, illegal immigration reached a breaking point with people from not only Central America but from Communist China, Russia, Sudan and over 100 other different countries flooding the southern border.  

Sadly, transnational criminal cartels take advantage of the efforts of many poor people who were simply looking for a better way of life by bringing in Fentanyl, other dangerous drugs, and exploiting this human suffering by turning women and children into sex slaves to be owned and sold as property. Additionally, unsupervised children fall victim to predators in internet chat rooms and social media sites and agree to meet a stranger under circumstances they are not mature enough to understand.  

The Florida Human Trafficking Victims Fund  

In the spring of 2023, Sara Mahoney and Toni Azinger, both of whom are deeply committed to fighting human trafficking, approached Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, another strong advocate for this issue, and asked how they could support this top priority. General Moody responded saying, “We need more resources for law enforcement to help identify, rescue and stabilize victims of human trafficking.” This initial conversation was the genesis of the Florida Human Trafficking Victims’ Fund, a groundbreaking initiative that stands as one of the first statewide public-private partnerships in the nation to fight human trafficking. This initiative is funded entirely by private donations.  

This is only one of Ms. Mahoney’s initiatives to protect victims. Appointed by Attorney General Moody in 2019, she assumed the role of founding board member and vice chair of the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking, a direct service organization created by the state legislature to assist statewide anti-human trafficking efforts. Additionally, she chairs the Advisory Board of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, a Tampa-based national organization dedicated to eradicating human trafficking by targeting demand, rescuing victims and providing sanctuary to under-age male survivors.  

The Florida Human Trafficking Committee

In response to this generous offer, the Florida Sheriffs Association president appointed a committee of three sheriffs to provide direction for and oversight over the donations. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister was appointed Chair with Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook and Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay as associate members.  

The mission of the Florida Human Trafficking Committee is to identify, recover and stabilize the victims of human trafficking and bring to justice predators who exploit this human suffering. The methodology to accomplish this includes: 

• Sheriffs that encounter human trafficking victims can request emergency funds not to exceed $10,000 for each event.  
• Sheriffs may also submit requests for pro-active investigations. 
• The committee will review each request. If approved, FSA staff will coordinate the disbursement of the funds directly to the sheriff’s office.  
• After-action reports are submitted by the requesting sheriff’s office. 

A Lifeline for Victims

The Florida Human Trafficking Victims Fundwas officially launched in March of 2024. Over the next nine months, six financial awards were granted to sheriffs’ offices across the state to help stabilize victims after rescue operations. Five of the counties completed operations resulting in the recovery and support of 73 victims of human trafficking. The awards were instrumental in providing survivors with essential services including trauma support, medical care, food, housing and transportation. Ms. Mahoney and Ms. Azinger are fully committed to growing this fund and supporting our Florida sheriffs as they do this crucial work. 

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, Chair of the Florida Sheriffs Association Human Trafficking Committee, emphasized the importance of private-public partnerships in supporting law enforcements efforts. “By working together, we are creating a powerful force to combat human trafficking. Together, we can rescue victims and provide them with the tools they need to heal and start a new chapter of their lives. The Florida Human Trafficking Victims Fund is more than a resource, it’s a lifeline for victims.”