GARDEN CITY, UT — A 17-year-old girl reported missing from Garden City, Utah, in May 2025 has been found safe in Oregon, the FBI’s Salt Lake City office said. Law enforcement officers located her on Nov. 1 and took a 39-year-old man into custody without incident.
The FBI did not identify the man or say what charges he may face. Officials also did not say where in Oregon the pair was found.
The recovery ended more than a year of searching by federal and local investigators, who said they followed leads across the United States and beyond.
How investigators located the missing teenager
The FBI said the girl’s recovery came after sustained work by the agency and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators tracked tips and leads over an extended period while trying to determine where she had been taken.
According to the agency, the breakthrough came with help from Oregon law enforcement. The FBI’s Portland office and Oregon State Police assisted in the effort that led officers to the teen on Nov. 1.
Once the girl was found, local police in Oregon brought her to safety and acted on information provided by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
What officials have said about the arrest
Authorities said the 39-year-old man was arrested without incident when officers found the girl. No public details have been released about his identity, his relationship to the teenager, or the circumstances that led investigators to him.
The FBI also has not said what part of Oregon the pair was located in. Officials said no further information would be released at this time because the investigation remains active.
That leaves several key questions unanswered, including any potential federal or state charges. For now, investigators say they are focused on the ongoing case and on holding anyone responsible accountable.
A case that stretched across state and national lines
Investigators described the search as one that reached beyond Utah and into other states and countries. The FBI said the effort reflected coordination among multiple agencies working to trace the girl after she vanished from Garden City in May 2025.
The agency’s statement suggested a long-running case built around repeated tips and cross-jurisdictional cooperation. Those efforts eventually led authorities to Oregon, where the teen was recovered nearly a year and a half after she was reported missing.
KUTV reported that the details match the case of the Garden City girl who disappeared on May 29, 2025, though the FBI did not publicly name her.
What the FBI says happens next
After the recovery, FBI Salt Lake City Director Kash Patel praised the Oregon officers who took the teen to safety and thanked partner agencies involved in the investigation. He said the bureau would continue working with local and federal authorities to hold those responsible accountable.
Patel also warned that the FBI and its partners are targeting people who use online groups to exploit children. He said the bureau is using every available tool to combat violent extremism and protect children, though officials did not say whether that issue was part of this specific case.
For now, the teenager is safe, and investigators say the case remains open. Agencies in Oregon and Utah have not released additional details while the inquiry continues.
