Endangered Child Alert Program

Endangered Child Alert Program

On February 21, 2004, the FBI began its Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP), a new proactive approach to identifying unknown individuals involved in the sexual abuse of children and the production of child pornography. A collaborative effort between the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, ECAP seeks national and international exposure of unknown adults (referred to as John/Jane Does) whose faces and/or distinguishing characteristics are visible in child pornography images. These faces and/or distinguishing marks (i.e. scars, moles, tattoos, etc.) are displayed on the Seeking Information section of the FBI website as well as various other media outlets in hopes that someone from the public can identify them.

As a result of ECAP, the faces of many Jane/John Does have been broadcast on television shows such as America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the O’Reilly Factor. Of particular significance in these cases, the Innocent Images program for the first time obtained “John Doe” arrest warrants based solely on images acquired through undercover investigations.

Since the inception of ECAP, 21 John/Jane Does have been investigated, 13 of which have been successfully identified and subsequently prosecuted. These investigations have led to the identification of more than 37 child victims. To help locate current suspects, see the Endangered Child Alert Program Most Wanted webpage.