A nationwide sting has rescued 115 children from sex trafficking, leading to the arrest of more than 200 alleged child sex predators.
The DOJ operation was carried out in coordination with local law enforcement in an effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators.
The suspects who were arrested reportedly include an illegal immigrant from Mexico, a Minnesota state trooper, and a D.C. police officer.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel made the announcement this week.
“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 Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
The operation unfolded over the course of five days, from April 28 through May 2, and “undoubtedly saved lives and protected vulnerable kids from further horrific crimes,” Patel posted on social media.
“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,” said Patel.
The FBI urges the public to report suspected exploitation of any child through their tiplines at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts also weighed in on the operation, saying, “Protecting children from exploitation is among the most sacred responsibilities we have in law enforcement. Each case serves as a difficult reminder that child predators are embedded in our communities. Some take on roles that increase their direct contact with children, while others prey on children from behind a keyboard. But make no mistake, we will identify, arrest, and hold every one of them accountable, no matter how long it takes or how far we have to go.”
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