Home / Crime and Justice / Teen Found Safe After Multi-State Kidnapping Hunt
Teen Found Safe After Multi-State Kidnapping Hunt
18 Mar
Summary
- Missing teen was recovered in Florida hotel room.
- Suspect linked to prior alleged Texas teen kidnapping.
- FBI operation involved multiple field offices and HRT.
A 16-year-old girl from Colerain Township, Ohio, has been safely recovered after disappearing approximately one month ago. The recovery occurred last Friday in a hotel room near Jacksonville, Florida. This success followed an intensive multi-state investigation that resulted in the arrest of a Tennessee man identified as Negron.
Investigators tracked Negron to Palatka, Florida, after he fled his Tennessee residence. He faces pending charges. Significantly, agents linked Negron to a separate alleged kidnapping incident in 2024 involving a 17-year-old from Texas. This case highlights the FBI's commitment to protecting children from violent criminals.
The FBI coordinated efforts between its Cincinnati, Nashville, and Jacksonville field offices, alongside local law enforcement and the Hostage Rescue Team. This operation marks the second successful takedown of an alleged child sexual abuser by FBI field offices in just one week. Charges against Negron are currently pending, with digital evidence under review.
