The authorities arrested 265 suspects during a large -scale campaign against the crimes of exploiting children in southern California.
This effort, called the “Spring Cleaning”, led the Los Angeles Police Department and the regional work team in Los Angeles, which consists of five provinces – Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Fenora.
The process aims to identify and arrest predators for children who use the Internet to exploit children. The officers also save the young victims targeted by the suspects.
The operation was held from April 6 to 19, and it was carried out in two phases. The first stage included secret investigations through various social media platforms to track and identify suspect predators.
The second stage included providing housing and arrest orders throughout the five provinces, and targeting suspects who participate in the distribution of sexual assault materials to children, online exploitation, and other crimes against children.
During a process of nearly two weeks, 265 suspects were arrested for crimes related to children’s exploitation. LAPD said that many of them “held confidence positions within their societies”, and some of them worked or put in the role of giving them direct contact with the children.
The authorities also saved 27 children regarding the huge campaign.
Some of the crimes that were arrested 265 include suspects:
- Perfection, distribution or production of sexual assault materials to children
- He acts obscene with a child
- A minor interview for obscene purposes
- Call or try to contact a minor to have sex
- Breaking and charming verbs with a minor under 14 years old
- Human trafficking
- Oral intercourse with a minor
- Inappropriate exposure
- Annoying
- Send an obscene issue to a child for sexual gratification
- Not registering as a convict
- Various violations of the conditions of conditional release/test by the perpetrators of the convicted sexual crimes
“These arrests emphasize the importance of vigilance and cooperation through agencies to protect children from individuals who use their reliable positions to exploit and inflict the most vulnerable damage,” said LAPD. “The unified efforts of the La ICAC and society, in combating sexual exploitation on the Internet for children, will definitely help keep predators for children in a critical position and allow our children to explore the Internet without fear.”
The authorities did not issue the identities of the suspects. The public is encouraged to report sexual assault on children and remove materials through the visit Taketdown.ncmec.org.
“By reporting the activity of sexual assault on children, you give a potential victim when it is often silenced by the circumstances.”