"We've accomplished it, everyone. My father is now in custody. It took an entire year," exclaimed Ana Albarran after her father, Davie Albarran, was apprehended following 451 days of being on the run.
Davie Albarran's daughters, Ana and Yaneiry, orchestrated an extensive online campaign via TikTok to locate his whereabouts, ultimately leading to his arrest in Polk County, Florida, U.S., on charges of sexual battery involving a child under 12 and lewd conduct towards a child under 12.
The daughters' TikTok campaign gained significant traction, amassing hundreds of thousands of views and prompting the case to be featured on 'America's Most Wanted.'
Ana and Yaneiry, driven by their pursuit of justice, utilized various methods, including erecting billboards, investigating motels, reaching out to family members, and securing a spot for Albarran on the 'America's Most Wanted' show.
During their efforts, the daughters were contacted by additional victims, beyond the two initially known victims for which Albarran was charged.
Albarran had been evading authorities since 2022 when his daughters confronted him, accusing him of assaulting a young female family member. Ana took to Facebook to publicly accuse her father of his crimes, urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward.
Their initiative garnered support from local media, and the daughters expressed gratitude for the wider public interest generated through their TikTok campaign.
In an interview, Ana revealed that her father had allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior when she was younger, and numerous other victims shared similar accounts.
Upon learning about Albarran's arrest, Ana and Yaneiry celebrated with their family members offline and continued to share their emotions on TikTok.
Ana described the arrest as the "greatest feeling in the world" and asserted, "We are his karma."
Sheriff Grady Judd of the Polk County Sheriff's Office remarked, "He made a mistake. (America's Most Wanted) ran him all over the nation, and he came to Lakeland," highlighting the extensive efforts to locate Albarran.
Despite attempting to elude arrest by using a false name, Albarran was apprehended by law enforcement, leading to his arrest. Specific details regarding the charges and trial are yet to be disclosed by the police.
Sheriff Marcos Lopez expressed determination to bring Albarran to justice, stating in December 2022, "Now it's time to catch this trash. This monster. Arrest him and stick him in jail for 100 years... Taking away children's innocence... He's a sick guy."
