Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort by the FBI and its state and local partners, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in a nationwide crackdown. The operation was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
The arrested offenders are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, NY.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, “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.” FBI Director Kash Patel added, “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us.”
The effort follows the FBI’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. The FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
The FBI is committed to combating child sexual exploitation through Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
The public can report suspected exploitation of a child through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. The FBI also partners with and oversees funding grants for NCMEC.
Related Federal Cases
- John Doe, Child Pornography, California 2022 · Washington
- James Thomas Andrew McCarty, Nationwide Swatting Threats, AZ, 2023 · Washington
- William M. Jones, Child Pornography, Washington 2024 · Washington
- John Doe, Threatening Professors, Indiana 2024 · Washington
- Colin January, Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy, Indiana 2024 · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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