The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that officials have arrested more than 2,300 suspected child sex offenders over the last three months as part of a nationwide operation.
The coordinated operation, known as “Broken Heart,” was conducted by Internet Crimes Against Children, or ICAC, task forces with the help of more than 4,500 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in all 50 states.
The task force has already identified 195 criminals who have committed child sexual abuse or produced child pornography, arrested more than 2,300 suspected child predators, and investigated around 25,200 sexual abuse complaints.
“No child should ever have to endure sexual abuse,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a Wednesday statement. “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.”
Sessions went further to suggest that this crackdown won’t be the last of its kind.
“To any would-be criminal should be warned: this Department will remain relentless in hunting down those who victimize our children.”
In addition to this crackdown, officials from the task force have met with over 390,000 minors and adults to deliver Internet safety presentations across the country to prevent future crimes, and the ICAC continues to work on targeting those who exploit children.
