July 31, 2025 – Law enforcement agencies from Southaven, Horn Lake, and DeSoto County were part of the completion of Operation Guardian Force, a 2-week statewide law enforcement effort led by the Attorney General’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force, Fentanyl Strike Force, and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The operation resulted in 72 arrests, and the recovery of 29 human trafficking victims.
“My office is committed to taking criminals who traffic people and drugs off the streets and equally committed to setting victims on the road to recovery,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. I am proud of the dedicated investigators and prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Office as well as our partners in local, state, and federal law enforcement for their work on this operation and every day to keep our communities safe.”
Attorney General Fitch was joined by Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who observed the work of the Attorney General office’s investigative operations. Fitch and the Trump Administration are partners to support efforts to end human trafficking and deliver comprehensive victim services.
“The Trump Administration will partner with anyone who will join us in the fight against human trafficking,” said Gradison. “I was honored to witness firsthand Attorney General Fitch’s leadership and Mississippi’s effective coordination between law enforcement and victim services to help save lives.”
Operation Guardian Force ran from July 14 to July 29 and worked in partnership with 400 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to effectively coordinate search warrants, arrests, and victim services. The operation also included a sex offender compliance check to locate and identify sex offender registry absconders.
These DeSoto County law enforcement agencies were involved:
Desoto County Sheriff’s Office
Horn Lake Police Department
Southaven Police Department
In addition to law enforcement partners, the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence, Center for Violence Prevention, and Transformation Garden provided services and treatment to the victims who were recovered during this operation.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates and high school football play-by-play on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
