Unprecedented Law Enforcement Effort Saves Children, Puts Predators Behind Bars
A coordinated nationwide law enforcement effort targeted child predators, and resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrest of 205 suspects. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) calls the five-day operation “unprecedented.”
All 55 FBI field offices took part in Operation Restore Justice, as did the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country. The operation occurred in April, which is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
Arrests occurred nationwide. They include trusted members of society such as some law enforcement professionals, teachers, and members of the military. Crimes include child sex trafficking, online enticement of a minor, and the production and possession of child pornography.
Cases highlighted by DOJ include an Army Reservist in Minneapolis who was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while wearing his uniforms. In Washington, DC, a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly tracking minor victims. In Virginia, an illegal alien from Mexico was arrested for transporting a minor across state lines for sex.
DOJ says that parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing some of the crimes to light. DOJ highlighted the case of a California man who was arrested just eight hours after a young victim came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at school.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in 2006.