U.S. Attorney’s Office and Law Enforcement Officials Announce Results of Child Sex Predator Sweep

RENO—Today, United States Attorney Daniel G. Bogden joined federal, state, and local law enforcement officials to announce the results of a five-month law enforcement sweep for online child sex predators in northern Nevada, and to discuss their ongoing efforts to prevent the sexual exploitation of minors.

U.S. Attorney Bogden announced that between July 1 and December 1, 2010, federal charges were filed against 14 persons as part of “Operation Northern Justice II: Continued Vigilance,” which targeted individuals who were using the Internet to receive and/or distribute child pornography. Operation Northern Justice II: Continued Vigilance is the second phase of a joint investigation by members of the Internet Crimes Against Children and Innocent Images task forces into the online distribution of child pornography. The first phase, Operation Northern Justice I, was conducted in 2008, and resulted in arrests and convictions of nine persons. In the current operation, 11 individuals are charged with possession or distribution of child pornography and three individuals are charged with failure to register as a sex offender. Nine more individuals pleaded guilty or were sentenced for federal child sex crimes during the sweep period. Additionally, seven individuals were charged and/or convicted of similar type offenses in state court in Reno during the sweep time frame.

Preliminary Operation Northern Justice II: Continued Vigilance statistics included the following:

Approximate number of search warrants served: 18

Approximate number of child pornography images located: Over 55,000

Approximate number of child pornography videos located: Over 13,700

Desktop computers seized: 35

Laptop computers seized: 29

Hard drives seized: 105

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada has prosecuted 277 persons in the last 10 years for sex crimes against children. About 90 of those cases are from northern Nevada. The charges include the transportation, receipt, distribution, or possession of child pornography; online enticement of children; travel with the intent to have sex with a minor; child prostitution, child-sex tourism, and sending unsolicited obscene material to a child.

The northern Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) program, is funded by Congress through a U.S. Department of Justice grant. The ICAC program helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to cyber enticement and child pornography cases. Its members in northern Nevada include the U.S. Attorney's Office, FBI, Washoe County Sheriff's Office, Nevada Attorney General's Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Carson City Sheriff's Office, and the Washoe County School District Police Department. The United States Marshals Service, Sparks Police Department, Reno Police Department, and Washoe County District Attorney's Office also participated in the sweep. Innocent Images is an FBI-sponsored national initiative to combat the proliferation of child pornography/child sexual exploitation facilitated by an online computer.

Information regarding the U.S. Department of Justice's National Strategy to Combat Child Exploitation, Prevention and Interdiction is available at www.projectsafechildhood.gov/docs/natstrategyreport.pdf.

Report information about child pornography to your Internet service provider, your local FBI or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, or the national CyberTipline, (800) 843-5678 or www.cybertipline.com.