The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated nationwide law enforcement effort focused on identifying, tracking, and arresting individuals involved in child sexual exploitation. The five-day operation led to the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 alleged child sexual abuse offenders across the country.
FBI Dallas arrested 8 individuals and assisted other law enforcement partners with 5 additional arrests.
"Protecting children is a top priority of the FBI and our partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement allow us to combine resources and collectively tackle this heinous crime. Every arrest made int hese cases delivers justice and also sends a clear message that crimes against children will not be tolerated, " said R. Joseph Rothrock, Special Agent in Charge FBI Dallas Division.
The operation involved all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) within the DOJ’s Criminal Division, and United States attorney’s offices nationwide.
"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," stated 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."
FBI Director Kash Patel echoed this sentiment, saying, "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. Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach, and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we're sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children."
The individuals arrested are accused of committing a range of crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. The DOJ highlighted several specific arrests made during the operation, including a state trooper and Army reservist in Minneapolis for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while in uniform, an illegal alien from Mexico in Norfolk, Virginia, accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex, and a former Metropolitan Police Department officer in Washington, D.C., arrested for alleged trafficking of minor victims.
The DOJ emphasized the crucial role of parental vigilance and community outreach in bringing many of these offenders to justice. As an example, a California man was arrested within eight hours after a young victim bravely disclosed their abuse to FBI agents following an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, New York.
Operation Restore Justice follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, underscoring its ongoing commitment to protecting children, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness about the dangers they face through community education. While these crimes are investigated and prosecuted daily, April serves as an important reminder of the need for prevention and awareness.
The Justice Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
