DOJ arrests thousands of child sex offenders during nationwide o - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

WASHINGTON -

The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that more than 2,300 suspected online child sex offenders were arrested during a three-month, nationwide operation conducted by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces. The task forces identified 195 offenders who either produced child pornography or committed child sexual abuse.

The 61 task forces across all 50 states are comprised of more than 4,500 federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies, led the coordinated operation known as "Broken Heart" during the months of March, April and May of this year. Over the span of three months, the task forces investigated 25,200 complaints of technology-facilitated crimes against children.

"No child should ever have to endure sexual abuse," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "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. It is shocking and very sad that in this one operation, we have arrested more than 2,300 alleged child predators and investigated some 25,200 sexual abuse complaints. Any would-be criminal should be warned: this Department will remain relentless in hunting down those who victimize our children."

Operation Broken Heart targeted suspects who produce, distribute, receive and possess child pornography; engage in online enticement of children for sexual purposes; engage in sex trafficking of children; and travel across state lines or to foreign countries and sexually abuse children.

For more information, visit the ICAC Task Force webpage at: https://www.icactaskforce.org/.

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