The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday that 115 children were rescued and 205 individuals arrested in a five-day nationwide operation targeting child sex predators, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.
The effort, known as Operation Restore Justice, involved all 55 FBI field offices and was coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
According to the FBI’s press release, the operation marked a concentrated surge of resources to locate and arrest individuals accused of exploiting children.
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The suspects arrested during the April 28 to May 2 sweep face charges ranging from the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material to child sex trafficking and online enticement.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated:
“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.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi praised the operation and directed federal prosecutors to take a hardline approach.
“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. 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.”
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Among the individuals arrested:
In Minneapolis, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while in uniform.
In Norfolk, Virginia, an illegal alien from Mexico was charged with transporting a minor across state lines for sex.
In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In Millsboro, Delaware, Justin Enright, 51, a convicted felon, was taken into custody for violating probation with intent to view child pornography.
In Maryland, Joel Thomas Biermann, 46, was indicted on multiple charges, including production and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
In West Virginia, Donald Robert Wilt Edwards Sr., 29, was indicted for sexual exploitation of a minor and related charges.
The FBI noted that one victim was rescued after reporting abuse to agents during an online safety presentation in a school near Albany, New York.
Operation Restore Justice coincided with the conclusion of Child Abuse Prevention Month and was organized under the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) program, which targets all forms of child exploitation.
The FBI continues to work with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to collect and act on reports of child sexual abuse and trafficking through its 24-hour hotline and online portal.
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