Latest news with #WilliamBerger
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
What is Operation Dragon Eye? 60 missing Florida children rescued in massive sting
Florida's Office of Statewide Protection (OSP) joined hands with the US Marshals Office for the Central District of Florida to rescue 60 children who had been trafficked as sex workers in the area. The announcement to declare Operation Dragon Eye successful was made on Monday (June 23). Operation Dragon Eye rescued 60 'critically missing' Florida children.(X/ @fdlepio) 'Attorney General James Uthmeier joined the U.S. Marshal for the Central District of Florida William Berger to announce the rescue of 60 children as part of Operation Dragon Eye in the Tampa Bay Area. As a result of the operation, eight defendants were arrested, including one on charges of human trafficking,' says the official press release. About 20 agencies worked in tandem to discover about 60 minors in the age group of 9-17 years who had been trafficked and were at risk of being exploited. One of the kids recovered was discovered to be pregnant with the child of her trafficker as well. "The real heroes behind this operation are the law enforcement who built and executed this mission. As your Attorney General and a father of three young kids, protecting children is my top priority," said Attorney General James Uthmeier in a public statement. 'If you victimize children, you're going to prison, end of story.' Also Read: South Carolina lightning strike: 18 hospitalized, including 10 children, after Lake Murray incident Charges, prosecution, and restitution "The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children ranging from age 9 to 17 were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care," said U.S. Marshal William Berger. 'This operation further included follow-up assistance in hopes that these youth will not return back to the streets to be further victimized.' Eight individuals have been arrested in the process and now face charges of human trafficking, child endangerment, drug possession, and drug trafficking. Special Counsel Rita Peters has been assigned to lead the prosecution in the matter. OSP is the lead prosecuting authority responsible for handling the case with assistance from the State Attorneys of the Sixth and Thirteenth Judicial Circuits. Also Read: Cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles sinks in Pacific Ocean after catching fire The Department of Children and Families views this as a significant victory to prove how the protection and safety of innocent individuals is taken into regard by the state. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has assured all parents that a search is still underway to recover any kids that are still missing. By Stuti Gupta
The Hill
2 days ago
- The Hill
Authorities locate 60 ‘critically missing' children in Florida operation: US Marshals
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The United States Marshals Service (USMS) partnered with multiple federal, state, and local government agencies to conduct what the Service called the most successful missing child recovery operation in USMS history. Operation Dragon Eye was a two-week initiative designed to recover or safely locate the most critically missing youth across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties, USMS said. Sixty critically missing children were recovered or safely located as part of the operation, authorities said. 'The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children ranging from age 9 to 17 were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care. This operation further included follow-up assistance in hopes that these youth will not return back to the streets to be further victimized,' William Berger, the United States Marshal for the Middle District of Florida, said. According to USMS, 'critically missing' children are those who are at risk of crimes of violence or those with other elevated risk factors like substance abuse, sexual exploitation, crime exposure, or domestic violence. 'Operation Dragon Eye was much more than a U.S. Marshals Service operation; it was a community initiative,' said U.S. Marshals Service Deputy in Charge Mario Price. This operation had three primary objectives: recover critically missing youth, provide them with essential services including appropriate placement, and to deter bad actors exploiting missing child vulnerabilities. In addition to recovering missing children, the operation also arrested eight people with charges that included: human trafficking, child endangerment, narcotics possession, and custodial interference. According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, officers located 11 missing juveniles and arrested two people, one with human trafficking. 'This operation is a powerful example of the importance of collaboration,' said Tampa Police Department Chief Lee Bercaw. 'These arrests and recoveries serve as a reminder of the Tampa Police Department's commitment to fight to protect our most vulnerable.'
2 days ago
US Marshals operation leads to recovery or location of 60 critically missing children in Florida
The U.S. Marshals in Florida have led a missing child operation this month that 'resulted in the recovery or safe location of 60 critically missing children,' across the state, officials said. The U.S. Marshals Service Middle District of Florida -- working with a number of law enforcement partners -- launched Operation DRAGON EYE, a two-week initiative geared to 'recover or safely locate the most critically missing youth' that the U.S. Marshals are calling 'the most successful missing child operation in USMS history,' according to a statement from the U.S. Marshals Service on Monday. 'This operation had three primary objectives: recover critically missing youth, provide them with essential services including appropriate placement, and to deter bad actors exploiting missing child vulnerabilities,' officials said in their announcement of the results of the operation. 'DRAGON EYE resulted in eight arrests, including charges of human trafficking, child endangerment, narcotics possession, and custodial interference.' Authorities said that Operation DRAGON EYE was the product of a 'multidisciplinary task force of federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as social service entities, the medical community, and non-governmental organizations.' The USMS defines "critically missing" children as those at risk of crimes of violence or those with other elevated risk factors such as substance abuse, sexual exploitation, crime exposure, or domestic violence, authorities said, and recovered children were provided with medical resources, nourishment, social services and child advocates. Officials working on Operation DRAGON EYE said they are proud of this operation's achievements which located children across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties in Florida. "I have to curtail my enthusiasm because of the sensitivity of the victims involved in this operation, but the successful recovery of 60 missing children, complemented with the arrest of eight individuals, including child predators, signifies the most successful missing child recovery effort in the history of the United States Marshals Service; or to my knowledge, any other similar operation held in the United States," said William Berger, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Florida. "The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children ranging from age 9 to 17 were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care. This operation further included follow-up assistance in hopes that these youth will not return to the streets to be further victimized.' Said Callahan Walsh, Executive Director, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: "The success of Operation DRAGON EYE is a testament to what's possible when agencies unite with a shared mission to protect children," "We're proud to have supported the U.S. Marshals Service and our partners in Florida to recover these missing children and provide critical support to those who need it most. NCMEC is honored to stand alongside these teams and will continue working tirelessly to help make sure that every child has a safe childhood."
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sunnova Energy International Inc (NOVA) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth ...
Revenue: $840 million, up 17% from the prior year. Interest Income: $150 million, a 29% increase. Principal Proceeds from Solar Loans: $191 million, up 21%. Cumulative Customers: Increased by 5% despite a reduction of 57,000 non-solar customers. Solar Power Under Management: Increased by 20%. Energy Storage Under Management: Increased by 53%. Battery Attachment Rate: 33% in Q4 2024, up from 24% in Q4 2023. Stockholder Equity Per Share: $14.65, a 17% increase. Net Contracted Customer Value Per Share: Decreased by 4% to $24.22. Securitizations: Seven issued in 2024, totaling an additional $613 million in securitized assets. Tax Equity Usage: Increased by 37% due to lease and PPA growth. ITC Rate: Increased from 31.5% in 2023 to 38% in 2024. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 9 Warning Signs with NOVA. Release Date: March 03, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Sunnova Energy International Inc (NYSE:NOVA) achieved a 17% increase in revenue, reaching $840 million for the year. The company reduced net service expenses by 24% per customer over the past two years. Sunnova grew its cumulative solar customer base by over 70% while reducing the average age of work orders by 83%. Battery attachment rates reached an all-time high of 33% in Q4 2024, up from 24% in Q4 2023. Sunnova successfully securitized $1.8 billion worth of solar assets and customer notes receivable, raising $1.3 billion in tax equity, marking a company record. Sunnova's cash generation for 2024 fell below expectations due to high interest rates and regulatory uncertainties. The company had to reduce its headcount by over 15%, contributing to a total estimated annual cash savings of approximately $70 million. Sunnova removed its 2025 and 2026 cash generation guidance due to uncertainties surrounding corporate debt maturities. The slowdown in project finance markets and delays in tax equity funds impacted cash generation and originations. Sunnova faced challenges in the capital markets environment, leading to a cautious approach in addressing corporate debt maturities. Q: What were the main reasons for the slowdown in tax equity and how did the domestic content mandate affect the situation? A: William Berger, CEO, explained that peer distress and changes in tax equity and debt markets contributed to the slowdown. The domestic content mandate was beneficial, helping politically and financially, despite initial skepticism. The company is now in a better position with tax equity and securitizations, and expects competitors to follow their lead on domestic content. Q: Can you provide details on the $500 million tax equity fund and dealer payments? A: Berger stated that the company is in a good position with capital and expects to catch up on dealer payments in the coming days and weeks. The $500 million fund had $75 million in restricted cash, with an additional $50 million released. The company is working to align dealer payments with funding cycles. Q: What triggered the going concern language in your financial statements? A: Eric Williams, CFO, explained that the going concern language was due to the need to address corporate maturities and close additional tax equity. The company is confident in its plan and is actively working to address these issues, with the potential to adjust the disclosure in future financial statements. Q: Why was the cash generation guidance removed, and what are the expectations for addressing corporate debt maturities? A: Berger noted that removing the guidance was prudent given the focus on addressing corporate debt maturities. The company is working to tackle these maturities sooner rather than later and will reassess guidance once there is more clarity on the situation. Q: How are origination trends and dealer relationships evolving in the current environment? A: Berger stated that dealers have been supportive despite industry challenges. The company has been right-sizing origination to match capital availability and expects origination to increase significantly in the coming weeks, aligning with the selling season. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
