The internet serves as a daily tool for many, but it also presents dangers, especially for children. Southwest Florida faces these threats, leading the Collier County Sheriff's Office to establish the Intercept Task Force. This specialized team focuses on combating child exploitation and human trafficking.
WINK News obtained new data from the Collier County Sheriff's Office, highlighting the task force's efforts in the first nine months of 2025.
The team collaborates with Operation Lightshine and multiple law enforcement agencies, both locally and nationally. WINK News spoke with Lt. Wade Williams of the CCSO Special Crimes Bureau about their methods for catching offenders.
"We're looking at the ones that are in our backyard, so the ones in southwest Florida," said Lt. Wade Williams.
He explained that the detectives' goal is to identify child victims. "Some of the things they do day to day is executing search warrants, making arrests, doing undercover chats, reviewing digital artifacts and evidence to identify who those perpetrators are and identify who the victims are," said Williams.
"If we can save one victim, we know that we've changed that child's life forever," he added.
Lt. Williams leads the Intercept Task Force, targeting sexual predators in Southwest Florida. He emphasized the manipulative nature of these offenders and the extreme victimization they cause.
BREAKING DOWN THE DATA
From January to September 2025, the Intercept Task Force opened 1,013 cases and made 22 arrests, compared to more than 1,100 cases and 36 arrests in the year 2024, according to CCSO.
In 2024, the task force reported it had reviewed two million images or videos. The latest data reveals a dramatic increase. By September 2025, detectives reviewed more than 68 million images and 17 million videos.
Additionally, 48 victims had been identified or rescued in 2024, the task force's first full year of operation. Meanwhile, 60 victims were identified in the first nine months of 2025.
A WARNING TO PARENTS
This data can be jarring, especially to parents.
"Really, any platform where children can communicate with other individuals online is a place where we're seeing children being exploited," said Williams.
He noted that platforms range from video games to social media. "There's going to be a lot of new kids getting devices for the holiday season," said Williams. "When a parent hands a phone to a child or a device to a child, they're not giving their child access to the world; they're giving the world access to their child."
Lt. Williams encourages parents to monitor their child's online activity and discuss it with them, especially during the holiday season.
He stressed the importance of children hearing from their parents before they hear from predators. The Intercept Task Force is hopeful for expansion and remains committed to keeping children safe.
Click here for more information on Operation Lightshine and click here for more information on the Intercept Task Force's efforts.