HUNTINGTON, OR — A 17-year-old girl reported missing from Garden City, Utah, was recovered in eastern Oregon on Sunday after a coordinated operation involving the FBI and Oregon State Police. Investigators took the teen into protective custody after locating her at a residence in the 200 block of East Fulton Street in Huntington.
Authorities also arrested a 39-year-old suspect in the case, identified as Adam H. Harmel, during a separate traffic stop in Ontario. Oregon State Police said he was taken into custody without incident and is being lodged in the Malheur County Jail on federal charges.
The recovery ended a search that had lasted since May 2025, when the teen was first reported missing from her home in Utah. Federal and state investigators say the case remains open, and they have not released additional details while the investigation continues.
How investigators found the missing teen in Huntington
Law enforcement officials said the operation took place Sunday, November 1, after information came together through several agencies working across state lines. The FBI worked with Oregon State Police, FBI Salt Lake City, and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office to locate the teenager.
According to the FBI, the teen was found in Oregon with a 39-year-old male who was then taken into custody without incident. The recovery was described as a safe operation, with local officers and federal agents bringing the minor to safety after more than a year and a half away from home.
Police have not publicly described the exact circumstances that led investigators to the Huntington residence or what relationship, if any, existed between the girl and the man arrested. Those details remain part of the active case file.
Adam Harmel arrested during traffic stop in Ontario
Oregon State Police confirmed that Adam H. Harmel was arrested in Ontario at a traffic stop and later lodged in the Malheur County Jail. Officials said the arrest happened without incident.
He is being held on federal charges, but investigators have not publicly detailed the specific allegations tied to those charges. Because the case is still active, authorities said they are not releasing more information at this time.
The separate arrest in Ontario came shortly after the teen was recovered in Huntington, underscoring how multiple agencies were working at the same time to secure both the juvenile and the suspect. The coordinated response stretched across local, state, and federal levels.
A case that stretched from Utah to eastern Oregon
The girl had been reported missing from Garden City, Utah, in May 2025, meaning investigators were working on the case for more than a year before the recovery in Oregon. The FBI said it and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office had pursued leads from across the United States and in other countries.
That broad search suggests the investigation moved well beyond one county or one state, with agents following tips and information wherever it led. Officials did not say how the case eventually narrowed to Huntington and Ontario, but they credited the cross-agency effort for the result.
The FBI’s public statement said the teen was located safely and that the case remains ongoing. The agency and local partners also thanked Oregon State Police, FBI Portland, and the Utah Department of Public Safety for assisting in the operation.
Federal officials say the investigation is still active
Investigators emphasized that they are continuing to work the case and will not release more facts for now. The FBI and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office said the matter remains under investigation, which means more details could emerge in the coming days or weeks.
In its statement, the FBI said the recovery was made after its Salt Lake City Field Office provided information to local police in Oregon. FBI Director Kash Patel also praised the operation and said those responsible would be held accountable.
Officials have not said whether additional arrests are possible or whether more people may have been involved. For now, the clearest confirmed facts are that the teen is safe, the suspect is in custody, and the investigation continues.
What authorities have confirmed so far
So far, law enforcement has confirmed the teenager’s age, the Utah location where she disappeared, the Oregon communities involved in the recovery, and the arrest of Harmel. They have also confirmed that the girl was placed in protective custody after being found.
Authorities have not released the teen’s name, and they have not said what conditions she was living under before the recovery. They also have not described the evidence that led officers to the Huntington address or the Ontario traffic stop.
Because of the age of the victim and the active investigation, officials are keeping many specifics private. That limited disclosure is common in cases involving missing minors, especially when federal charges are part of the arrest.
