Operation Restore Justice
FBI Arrests 205 Alleged Child Sex Abuse Offenders in Five-Day Nationwide Crackdown
In an unprecedented nationwide operation to protect our children and mark April’s National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the FBI announces Operation Restore Justice, a five-day, sweeping FBI initiative to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators across the country in coordination with all 55 of our FBI field offices.
The San Francisco Field Office arrested one person as part of this operation. Erik Antonio Contreras, 34, of Hayward, Calif., was arrested on April 30, 2025, for possession of child sexual abuse materials. In late 2023, Contreras allegedly had expressed a desire to engage in sexual conduct with a 12-year-old girl, and after the execution of a search warrant in October 2023, law enforcement recovered over 1,000 media files consistent with child sexual abuse materials on Contreras’ electronic devices.
“This coordinated effort across all FBI field offices was not just about making arrests, it was about standing up for those who cannot defend themselves,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “While this initiative was a success, it represents just one step in our ongoing fight to protect children from those who seek to harm them. The FBI remains relentless every day in its mission to find and stop those who prey on the most vulnerable members of our society.”
“The exploitation of children is appalling and horrific. It robs vulnerable young victims of their childhoods and inflicts serious long-lasting harm. Together with our FBI partners, we will find criminals who prey on and victimize children—whether they are hiding behind a computer screen or out in the world—and ensure that they face justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.
Last week alone, the FBI arrested 205 subjects and rescued 115 children across the country during the surge of resources deployed for Operation Restore Justice. The subjects arrested in this operation included those in positions of public trust—law enforcement, members of the military, and teachers. Others are your neighbors, proving that criminal activity can be found even in the most familiar places. They’re accused of various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking.
But our work didn't just happen last week. Throughout the entire month of April, the FBI, along with our state and local law enforcement partners, additionally arrested more than 190 perpetrators on charges related to crimes against children. With nearly 400 arrests in one month, these actions are the direct result of the FBI’s continued efforts to track down and stop sexual predators before they can harm more victims.
This operation was the result of a dedicated and targeted effort, reflecting countless hours of work by hundreds of special agents, intel analysts, and other FBI personnel. It further emphasizes the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Bureau works relentlessly to investigate these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of prevention, community education, and the FBI’s never-ending pursuit of criminals who exploit our children.
The FBI proactively identifies individuals involved in child sexual exploitation and the production of child sexual abuse material through our far-reaching, nationwide network of personnel and law enforcement partners. The Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) program provides a rapid, proactive, and comprehensive capacity to counter all threats of abuse against children. This capacity leverages partnerships within the FBI's 89 Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs) across the country. Additionally, the FBI has intelligence analysts assigned to address the VCAC threat, both at Headquarters and the field. The FBI also leads a Violent Crimes Against Children International Task Force, which includes nearly 100 International Task Force Officers representing over 60 countries to expand our ability to address the threat worldwide.
The FBI also partners with 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. In further partnership and collaboration with NCMEC, the FBI launched the Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) in 2004 to identify individuals involved in the sexual abuse of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. To date, ECAP has identified 36 individuals.
As always, the FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected crime against a child to 911 and local law enforcement immediately, as well as the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), online at tips.fbi.gov, or by contacting your local FBI field office. For media inquiries, please contact the FBI San Francisco division: media.sf@fbi.gov
