265 arrested in two-week, five-county Southern California crackdown on online child exploitation
265 arrested in two-week, five-county Southern California crackdown on online child exploitation
LOS ANGELES — A two-week law enforcement crackdown targeting internet-related crimes against youth in Southern California netted 265 arrests and rescued 27 children who were entangled in exploitative crimes, police said Wednesday.
Dubbed “Operation Spring Cleaning,” the sweep was carried out between April 6 and April 19 by the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is led by the Los Angeles Police Department and includes more than 100 law enforcement agencies across Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
“Operation Spring Cleaning was a multi-agency initiative aimed at identifying and arresting child predators who use the internet to exploit children, and rescuing the young victims targeted by these offenders,” according to a statement from the LAPD.
Police said the task force carried out undercover investigations on various social media platforms, then served warrants in all five counties targeting suspects accused of distributing child sexual abuse materials, online exploitation and other crimes against children.
Of the 265 people arrested, many “held positions of trust within their communities,” police said.
“Several of those taken into custody held roles that placed them in direct contact with children or carried significant community trust,” according to police. “These arrests underscore the importance of vigilance and cross-agency collaboration in safeguarding children from individuals who use their trusted positions to exploit and harm the most vulnerable.”
The various suspects were held on suspicion of a variety of offenses, including possession, production or distribution of child sexual abuse material, sending obscene matter to a child, lewd acts with a child, attempting to contact a minor for sex, human trafficking, indecent exposure, child annoying and failure to register as a convicted sex offender.
Police said in addition to the arrests, the task force has also worked to provide internet safety training to about 1,000 parents and children, “empowering families with tools and knowledge to stay safe online.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said anyone sexually assaulting a child is “stealing their innocence and likely causing a lifetime of harm,” CBS Los Angeles reported.
Police urged residents to visit www.missingkids.org/netsmartz for tips on internet safety.
With Beyoncé's Grammy Wins, Black Women in Country Are Finally Getting Their Due
February 17, 2025
Bad Bunny's "Debí Tirar Más Fotos" Tells Puerto Rico's History
February 17, 2025
Comments 0