Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a whopping 2,000 child predators have been arrested since he assumed office in February 2025 while speaking at a press conference alongside law enforcement officials in Fort Myers this week.
“Protecting our children is my number one priority,” Uthmeier said in a release. “With over 2,000 child predators arrested since I took office, we are sending a clear message: if you prey on kids in this state, we will find you, arrest you, and put you behind bars. Thanks to our law enforcement partners and Statewide Prosecutors, we are breaking all-time records against predators.”
Attorney General Uthmeier specified several recent arrests in the release, including Graham Freeman, a Cape Coral man and middle school science teacher in Lee County charged with 10 counts for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material and one count for sexual activity involving animals. The arrest comes after Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) officials executed a search warrant at Freeman's residence finding multiple electronic devices containing illegal material.
Others arrested included Jordan Kent Hall of Sarasota. Hall is accused of possession of child sex abuse material (10 counts) and sexual activities involving animals (one count). The arrest follows an FDLE executed a search warrant at Hall's home finding devices containing prohibited material.
Matthew David Peter of Zephyrhills was also charged for allegedly soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using computer services, transmission of harmful material to a minor, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony. The arrest comes after an undercover FDLE operation unveiled Peter engaging in sexually explicit communications with an agent posing as a 13-year-old girl while also transmitting harmful material.
“Florida is safer with the men and women at FDLE doing their very best to protect our communities from individuals who exploit and harm our children,” FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass added. “Our agents and analysts will continue to work with our criminal justice partners and Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution to accomplish the mission of keeping our streets free from these criminals.”
Attorney General Uthmeier has obtained 693 years of prison sentences for crimes against children since assuming the role.
