Detective Eva Solis of the Clay County Sheriff's Office is getting statewide recognition after undercover work in a sprawling child exploitation probe helped dismantle a multi-jurisdiction case and led to the rescue of victims. The honor came just days after a federal jury returned a guilty verdict that pulled decades-old abuse and a massive trove of illicit material back into the spotlight.
The Florida Sheriffs Association named Solis and Detective Ryan Ellis its 2025 Law Enforcement Officers of the Year for the investigation, and Attorney General James Uthmeier singled Solis out at a statewide awards ceremony on May 20, 2026, as reported by the Florida Sheriffs Association and WCTV. The awards are the latest public acknowledgement of a case local officials have described as one of the most horrific child-exploitation investigations in recent Clay County history.
Undercover Sting and Storage Unit Tip
According to investigators, the case started after a buyer picked up an abandoned storage unit in Middleburg in May 2024 and found a locked safe stuffed with soiled children’s clothing, videotapes and electronic devices. The purchaser turned everything over to the Baker County Sheriff's Office, which kicked off a multi-agency probe that included recorded calls between the suspect and an undercover Clay County detective. The suspect was arrested in Clay County on Aug. 5, 2024. The timeline and key details are laid out in a federal press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida.
Victims, Files and the Scope of the Probe
Task-force members said the investigation identified multiple victims and rescued at least one child believed to be in immediate danger. The Florida Sheriffs Association reported that investigators identified seven victims and recovered several people who had been exploited, and local reporting in the Florida Times-Union detailed the multi-jurisdiction work that brought the suspect back to Clay County. State and association summaries described the digital cache as enormous, and by one count more than two million images and videos, a scale advocates say underscores the reach of online exploitation.
Federal Verdict and Next Steps
A federal jury in Jacksonville found 56-year-old Frederick Karl Hildenbrand guilty on nine counts of producing child sexual abuse material and two counts of possessing it, and prosecutors told jurors that evidence showed he continued to produce material into June 2024 and that investigators identified thousands of illegal depictions. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida said Hildenbrand faces decades behind bars and that sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 22, 2026. Authorities say the case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood and that the investigation remains active as agencies pursue leads beyond Florida.
Local Reaction and the Task-Force Model
Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook praised Detectives Solis and Ellis, saying they "exemplify the very essence of serve and protect," a sentiment echoed in local coverage of the case. Authorities credited a mix of local, state and federal partners, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Cocoa Police Department and Baker County investigators, with the arrest and subsequent identification work, and officials say tips and digital forensics continue to generate leads. For now, awards and a federal conviction have brought quiet closure to part of the case while leaving other questions for prosecutors and victim-services teams to follow up on.
