For Immediate Release
June 18, 2025
 
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) held Florida’s inaugural Statewide Human Trafficking Symposium this week. More than 200 law enforcement professionals, prosecutors and victim advocates from across the state engaged in prevention and response initiative planning.
 
“By working hand-in-hand with our partners, we are making Florida a safer place for our residents and visitors,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass. “Together, we can build a united front that traffickers won’t be able to outrun.”
 
Florida ranks among the top five states for human trafficking cases, and St. Petersburg is one of the most impacted areas in the state for human trafficking.
 
Attendees representing 100 agencies and organizations from across the state gathered to discuss strategies, legislative updates and professional experiences with victim support, human trafficking investigations and prosecution.
 
“In Florida, we don’t just handle the problem,” said FDLE Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard during the opening of the symposium. “We fight the problem.”
 
Panel discussions were moderated by FDLE Tampa Bay Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell and human trafficking victim advocate Roxana Lemus from the Office of Attorney General James Uthmeier.
 
Experts in the field, including the Office of Statewide Prosecution’s Special Counsel Rita Peters and Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) Statewide Human Trafficking Training Specialist Marina Anderson, discussed case studies and brainstormed new and improved strategies to bring back to their individual agencies. Human trafficking survivor and advocate Kim Figueroa of the nonprofit MoreTooLife, Inc. recounted her survival story and opened the floor to questions and comments from the attendees.
 
“Collaboration is the only way to help the victims,” Figueroa said, “You have the resources to help them, and they have the perspective you’ll never have to experience.”
 
Panelists for the Law Enforcement & Prosecution Panel Discussion included:

Mark Brutnell Moderator	Special Agent in Charge	Florida Department of Law Enforcement Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center
Ritchie Kaplan	Special Agent Supervisor	Florida Department of Law Enforcement Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center
Jose Ramirez	Assistant Special Agent in Charge	Florida Department of Law Enforcement Miami Regional Operations Center
Rita Peters	Special Counsel	Office of Statewide Prosecution
Ron Stucker	Director	Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, Orlando
Ryan Daniels	Detective	Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

 
Panelists for the Victim Advocacy Panel included:

Roxana Lemus Moderator	Victim Services Program Specialist	Office of Attorney General James Uthmeier
Marina Anderson	Statewide Human Trafficking Specialist	Florida Department of Children and Families
Misty Haley	National Law Enforcement Liaison & Trainer	Selah Freedom, Inc.
Nicole Pegues	Deputy Chief Assistant Statewide Prosecutor	Office of Statewide Prosecution
Jamie Gesslein	Victim Advocate	Office of Statewide Prosecution
Dr. Charrita Ernewein	Nurse Practitioner and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner	Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
Kim Figueroa	Survivor Advocate	MoreTooLife, Inc.

 
For Further Information Contact:
FDLE Office of Public Information
Info@fdle.state.fl.us