Attorney General’s 2023 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award Winner Named

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-Attorney General Ashley Moody is congratulating Special Agent William Porter of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for being named the 2023 Attorney General's Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. The Florida Attorney General's Office today hosted the 2023 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Ceremony in Havana to honor the service of 11 brave officers who demonstrated great courage and selflessness while going above and beyond the call of duty last year.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, "I am proud to name Special Agent William Porter our 2023 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Agent Porter's diligence and resourcefulness working with Florida and Texas authorities resulted in the arrests of two human traffickers and the rescue of a young trafficking victim. I am honored to recognize his service and the exemplary work of all of our 2023 award nominees."

In July 2023, Special Agent Porter received contact from the Texas Department of Public Safety requesting FDLE's assistance in locating a juvenile victim held captive by a 37-year-old male subject.

According to the investigation, the male suspect organized the transport of the victim from Corpus Christi, Texas to Gainesville by paying someone to pick up the victim and promising a better life. Instead, the victim experienced several horrifying events-being forced to take several illegal drugs and several other horrifying moments, including starvation, rape, abuse and torture. The investigation also revealed that a female subject came to the residence and participated in the repeated violations of the victim.

Continuing to work with Texas DPS, Special Agent Porter led efforts to find and rescue the victim. The Texas DPS agent who contacted Porter identified an IP address linked to the missing victim's social media account to a residence in Gainesville. Special Agent Porter and Special Agent Calvin Lee worked in concert with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office and Texas DPS, obtaining probable cause to execute a search warrant at the subject's residence.

The search warrant occurred on July 25, 2023, where authorities arrested the male subject on site and FDLE agents assigned to the Gainesville Field Office rescued the victim. Law enforcement also tracked down and arrested the female subject in Orlando.

Last November, both the male and female subjects were federally indicted and charged with interstate transportation of a minor to engage in sex along with numerous counts of production of child sexual abuse material. Both subjects are facing life sentences.

Special Agent Porter has over 16 years of law enforcement experience, spending eight with FDLE as an agent. As a result of a commitment to excellence, FDLE promoted Agent Porter to the Resident Agent in Charge of the Gainesville Field Office.

Other nominees for the Attorney General's 2023 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award, include:

• Detective Matthew Aiken, Miami Beach Police Department;
• Detective Miguel "Mike" Garcia, Miami-Dade Police Department;
• Detective Kyle George, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office;
• Deputy Colt Howell, Jackson County Sheriff's Office;
• Detective Dan Koehler, Florida Department of Financial Services;
• Detective Greg Lariscy, Florida Department of Financial Services;
• Officer Matthew Pietroburgo, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission;
• Detective Eddie Tavcar, West Palm Beach Police Department;
• Trooper Steven Turner, Florida Highway Patrol; and
• Special Agent Ryan Vaughn, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

All nominees for the Attorney General's 2023 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award were previously named Officers of the Year by Florida law enforcement agencies and associations.

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