More than 2,300 suspected online child sex offenders were arrested between March and May, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
The operation was conducted by the Justice Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children task forces. All told, 195 offenders who either produced child pornography or committed child sexual abuse and 383 children who suffered sexual abuse were identified, the Justice Department said.
“No child should ever have to endure sexual abuse,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said announcing the arrests. “And yet, in recent years, certain forms of modern technology have facilitated the spread of child pornography and created greater incentives for its production. We at the Department of Justice are determined to strike back against these repugnant crimes.”
Dubbed operation Broken Heart, the three-month investigation probed more than 25,2000 complaints about technology crimes against children.
The 61 Internet Crimes Against Children task forces are comprised of more than 4,500 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. It targets suspects who produce, distribute or receive child pornography as well as those who engage in the sex trafficking of children or travel across state lines or to foreign countries to abuse children.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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