Trinity Mount Ministries

Monday, October 28, 2019

Trinity Mount Ministries - NCMEC - Active Missing Children Posters / Active AMBER Alerts - UPDATE - 11/20/2019

Missing Children Posters Below

Active AMBER Alerts
NameMissing FromIssued ForAlert Date
Taylor WilliamsJacksonville, FLFLNov 6, 2019
Dulce AlavezBridgeton, NJNJSep 17, 2019

Notice: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® certifies the posters on this site only if they contain the NCMEC logo and the 1-800-THE-LOST® (1-800-843-5678) number. All other posters are the responsibility of the agency whose logo appears on the poster.
Select an image to view the poster for one of these missing children.


Saturday, October 26, 2019

How the FBI tracks down child pornography predators







Millions of images of sexually abused children are traded with like-minded predators all over the U.S. and beyond. Special correspondent John Ferrugia of Rocky Mountain PBS tells the story of one family who was victimized, and one FBI team that tracks down abusers.

Read the Full Transcript

Judy Woodruff:

It is a disturbing issue, but one that is growing, the production of millions of pornographic images of children being sexually abused.

They are uploaded from cell phones, Webcams, and computers.

John Ferrugia of Rocky Mountain PBS has the story of one family who was a victim and explores what you can do to protect your children.

Beth:

There was a card on our front door from the FBI, and, immediately, our hearts sank. We thought, why is the FBI contacting us?

John Ferrugia:

Seven years ago, Beth and her husband couldn't imagine what the FBI wanted, but they agreed to meet.

Beth:

They said, we believe your son has been a victim of a crime. And I said. Impossible. My son is at home. And he showed me the photos, and immediately I just broke down. My husband broke down crying.

John Ferrugia:

What she saw was her then 4-year-old son being sexually abused, the acts documented in still images and video, and uploaded to the Internet. It had been going on for two years.

Beth:

And they asked us if we knew who the person was and where he could be located, and…

John Ferrugia:

And did you?

Beth:

I did. He actually was a family friend that we had known for a long time, almost my whole life.

Tina Fourkas:

It's your neighbor, it's your pastor, it's your teacher, it's your soccer coach. We have had all of those types of people, people with kids, people without kids.

John Ferrugia:

FBI Special Agent Tina Fourkas has been investigating Internet child pornography in the Denver field office for more than seven years.

Tina Fourkas:

I wish there was some magic profile where we could identify these people, but there's not.

John Ferrugia:

It was Fourkas, along with agents in Illinois, Missouri, Arizona, and Colorado, who were able to identify son. Through their investigation, they discovered he had been a victim in a multistate child porn ring, and the agents tracked down those who had sexually abused him for years.

Beth:

My son was going to my dad's house. My dad also had some people that were helping him out and providing care and resources at his House.

John Ferrugia:

So he had no idea?

Beth:

He had absolutely no idea.

John Ferrugia:

The men, one married with two children and the other single, who had access to Beth's son, were arrested and convicted.

The break in the case came with the arrest of this man, Richard Franklin. He is a 50-year-old military veteran who lived in this quiet Denver neighborhood with his parents, who knew nothing about their son's criminal obsession.

Tina Fourkas:

You take a quick walk around the house, and you immediately know usually who your subject is, because it's the bedroom with all the computers and all the keyboards.

John Ferrugia:

FBI photos from their search of the house show how Franklin closeted himself with his computers, where he could view images he collected of children being sexually abused.

Tina Fourkas:

He had hundreds of thousands of images and videos of child pornography.

John Ferrugia:

Hundreds of thousands?

Tina Fourkas:

Yes, hundreds of thousands.

John Ferrugia:

Franklin's images of sexually abused children, stored on hard drives, were being traded with like-minded predators all over the U.S. and beyond. Franklin was advertising for child porn, receiving images, including those of Beth's son, and trading images from his collection.

Franklin was convicted and sentenced to 100 years in federal prison. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, known as NCMEC, works with federal, state, and local law enforcement to identify children in photos who are being sexually abused.

Here is how it works: Internet service providers like Google, Yahoo, and others monitor the billions of uploads and downloads of material with algorithms that search for possible child pornography. When it is detected, the providers review them and contact NCMEC, sending a sample image, as well as information about the Web server and address. It is then passed along to the FBI for possible investigation.

Calvin Shivers:

We're able to run those images against known images that NCMEC has, and that may play a part in victim identification.

John Ferrugia:

Calvin Shivers is the special agent in charge of the FBI office in Denver. He previously headed the Violent Crimes Against Children section at FBI headquarters.

He says, in Colorado, about 50 percent of child porn cases investigated are derived from tips from Internet providers through the nonprofit.

Calvin Shivers:

A lot of times, when you just get a general tip, there may not be enough information. But NCMEC, because of the experience staff, they're able to in some instances call additional information that may help the investigation.

John Ferrugia:

The number of tips compiled by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has exploded in recent years. In 2010, there were more than 213,000 tips involving child pornography. In 2017, the number of tips was more than 10 million.

Judy Smith:

The number of cases that are happening, it's an avalanche. I mean, we just feel like we're dishing the ocean out with a spoon.

John Ferrugia:

Judy Smith is chief of the cyber-crime and national security section of the U.S. attorney's office in Denver.

Judy Smith:

Nobody wants to know that this dark side of humanity exists, and not just exists, but the scope of it.

John Ferrugia:

Judy Smith says another growing concern involves increasingly younger kids carrying smartphones.

Judy Smith:

They can take pictures of themselves, and they can send those to their friends or somebody who they think are friends. There's online predators out there who pose as young boys or girls, who then entice or ask kids to self-produce child pornography.

John Ferrugia:

And FBI Special Agent Tina Fourkas says, once just one photo is sent by an unsuspecting child or teen to a predator posing online as another kid, as illustrated in this NCMEC training video.

Tina Fourkas:

They can be blackmailed, or they're too embarrassed to say anything, so they continue to send pictures.

John Ferrugia:

To emphasize the point, Fourkas noted that while we were conversing on an upper floor of the FBI building in Denver-

Tina Fourkas:

People are actively posting child pornography on one of my undercover computers downstairs. There's a little girl on that site, you can tell she's self-producing. I mean, she's holding the cell phone out. She's nude. She's maybe 10, 11 years old.

John Ferrugia:

You're seeing this?

Tina Fourkas:

And we're seeing this live on this site. Why is she taking pictures of herself? Where are her parents?

Calvin Shivers:

You know, parents should be cognizant of what their children are doing on the Internet and on their smartphones just across the board.

John Ferrugia:

And FBI Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers says it goes beyond monitoring.

Calvin Shivers:

Parents should also make sure that there's a good avenue for their children to communicate and, if they had that conversation, that the children know that they can come to them.

To your point, a lot of the victims don't feel that they can talk to their parents. And that causes them to be revictimized over and over again.

John Ferrugia:

For Beth's son and for her family, ongoing therapy has brought them beyond trauma to hope.

How does how does your son see his future?

Beth:

Oh, just very positive. He's also going to have this story to go with it, that, you know, I dealt with this as a child, and, look, here I am, and you can get through it too.

John Ferrugia:

Beth and her family say they hope public discussion of this horrific crime will bring public awareness and reduce the stigma for victims whose childhood photos often remain accessible on the Web, and that it will help victims and their families heal.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm John Ferrugia in Denver.





Thursday, October 24, 2019

FBI: Vigilant parents can help stop national child porn epidemic



Saturday, October 19, 2019

Serial Sex Offender Sentenced in Alaska and Florida to Serve a Total of 43 Years in Federal Prison:


Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced the sentencing of a Maryland registered sex-offender charged in Alaska federal court for attempted production of child pornography involving a minor victim in Anchorage.

William Patrick King, 37, was indicted in Alaska on July 19, 2017, and arraigned on Nov. 14, 2018. After being charged in Alaska, King was prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida for substantially similar conduct and sentenced to serve 35 years in federal prison. Today, King was sentenced in Alaska to serve 35 years, with 8 years to run consecutive to his Florida sentence followed by lifetime supervised release. To protect the public from King, he will serve a total of 43 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime supervised release.

In May 2017, the 15-year-old victim notified Anchorage Police Department (“APD”) School Resource Officers (“SROs”) of being harassed and extorted by King. Records explain that King targeted the minor victim through the use of social media applications, attempted to extort and threaten the victim to self-produce images and videos depicting child pornography. King went so far as to photoshop images in an attempt to blackmail the victim into self-producing child exploitation images. King also created false online personas to persuade the victim to refrain from reporting his conduct to law enforcement.

The victim exhibited admirable poise under the circumstances and promptly reported King’s threats to her Anchorage Police Department School Resource Officers. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason commended the victim for her courage and maturity. Anchorage Police Department was also praised for their work in the investigation of this case.

U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder stated, "A survivor's report of sexual exploitation to law enforcement is an act of bravery that greatly assists efforts to identify and prosecute dangerous offenders."

The Anchorage Police Department (“APD”) with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.

Topic(s): 
Project Safe Childhood
Component(s): 
Contact: 
Public Affairs (907) 271-5022 USAAK.PressRelease@usdoj.gov
Press Release Number: 
19-072



Thursday, October 17, 2019

Photographer uses drone, thermal camera to help find missing 6-year-old:

Author: Jennifer Austin

CLEAR LAKE, Minn. — As a professional photographer, Steve Fines sometimes uses drones to help capture beautiful images from above.

But in its own way, the image he captured early Wednesday morning, just might be his most beautiful image yet.


"I had seen the shape ... that I thought was the child and dog. It didn't look like a deer. It didn't look like anything else. Then the deputy sent out the ground crew to see what it was," Fines said.

Drone with thermal cameras helps find boy
That shape was six-year-old Ethan Haus, who went missing with his dog Tuesday near his home in Clear Lake.

The Sherburne County Sheriff's Office estimates some 600 people volunteered to search for Ethan. That search went well into the night.

So around 9 p.m. Tuesday Fines says he took his drone and thermal imaging to help with the search.

"Six years old, lost out in the fields. It's 30 degrees. You can't not do something," he said of his decision to help.

Fines says it was the first time he's used his thermal camera and drone to look for a person. And as the volunteers faced the dark of night, around 1:40 a.m. Wednesday, Fines literally found brightness.


Photo by: Fines Aerial Imaging

"I saw the dog, you can tell that dog is excited and happy. It's wagging [its tail]. I knew [at that moment] what had happened and that was phenomenal," Fines said of watching his thermal camera as rescuers found Ethan.

Fines is quick to give credit to the hundreds of other volunteers who helped with the search.

"I knew to fly in this field because there were ground searchers who found a footprint [there," he said. "There were 600 people that found him last night. It wasn't just me."

The Sherburne County Sheriff says the department is in the process of getting its own drone with thermal imaging to use in cases like this.

They're currently waiting on FAA approval.


Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Pasco Sheriff Warns About 15 Apps

FOX 35 Orlando

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. - "Keep an eye on your children's social media platforms."

That's the warning for parents from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office after a 22-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping a 10-year-old child he met through Snapchat.

According to the sheriff's office, Austin Altman drove to Hernando County to pick up the girl and then drove her back to his residence, where they said he raped her. The victim reportedly told Altman to stop at least four times.

The crime prompted the sheriff's office to release a list of apps that they said predators use to target kids.

"Over the weekend a 22 year old man was arrested for enticing a 10 year old girl out of her house and brought her back to Pasco County. Here are a list of apps all parents should be aware of."


The apps that deputies say parents need to monitor include:

Snapchat: It's one of the most popular apps of 2018. While the app promises users can send a photo or video and it will disappear, recent features allow users to view content for up to 24 hours. Snapchat also allows users to see your location.

Bumble: It's similar to the popular dating app, Tinder, however, it requires women to make the first contact. Kids have been known to use Bumble to create fake accounts and falsify their age.

Kik: This app allows anyone to contact and direct message your child, sometimes anonymously. Kids sometimes use Kik to bypass traditional text messaging features. Kik gives users unlimited access to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Calculator%: This is one of several secret apps used to hide photos, videos, files, and browser history.

Hot or Not: This app encourages users to rate other users' profiles, with the focus on physical appearance. It also allows users to check out people in their area and chat with strangers. The sheriff says the goal of this app is to "hook up."

Tiktok: It's a new app popular with kids that's used for creating and sharing short videos. With very limited privacy controls, users are vulnerable ot cyber bullying and explicit content.

Whatsapp: This is a popular messaging app that allows users to send texts, photos, voicemails, as well as make calls and video chats.

Grindr: This dating app is geared toward gay, bi and transgender people. It gives users options to chat, share photos and meet up based on a smart phone's GPS.

Skout: It's a location-based dating app. While users under 17 years old are unable to share private photos, kids can easily create an account with an older age.

Meetme: It's a dating social media app that allows users to connect with people based on geographic proximity. The app's users are encouraged to meet each other in person.
LiveMe: This live-streaming video app uses geolocation to share videos so users can find out a broadcaster's exact location. Users can earn coins within the app and use them as a way to pay minors for photos.

Holla: The app's makers admit it's an "addicting" video chat app. It allows users to meet people all over the world in just seconds. Reviewers say they have been confronted with racial slurs, explicit content, and more.

Whisper: This is an anonymous social network that promotes sharing secrets with strangers. It also reveals a user's location so people can meet up.

Badoo: This is a dating and social networking app where users can chat, share photos and videos based on location. The app is intended for adults only, but teens are known to create profiles.

Ask.fm: This app has become known for cyberbullying. The app encourages users to allow people to anonymously ask them questions.

Last month, the Sarasota Sheriff's Office released a list of 21 apps to watch out for after 23 suspected child predators were arrested during "Operation Intercept VII."

Why the first 72 hours in a missing persons investigation are the most critical:

By JULIA JACOBO

The countdown to finding a missing person begins the moment someone concerned for his or her well-being alerts law enforcement.

Investigators are essentially working against the clock, as with each passing hour decreases the likelihood that the subject will be found, according to criminology experts interviewed by ABC News.

Here is why the first 72 hours of a missing person investigation are the most critical:

To protect the integrity of the evidence
One of law enforcement's first steps in investigating a missing person case is trying to prevent the loss of evidence, Dr. Michelle Jeanis, criminology professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, told ABC News.

The first 48 hours are also critical because that's when investigators have the best chance of following up on leads, before people's memories start to fade, Dr. Bryanna Fox, former FBI agent and criminology professor at the University of South Florida told ABC News.

"The information that law enforcement gets tends to be a little more accurate, and they are able to act on the information and hopefully get that person who is missing quicker," Fox said.

As time goes on, there are fewer "bread crumbs" to follow, Fox said.

Evidence from a crime scene is pictured in this undated stock photo.more +

And it isn't just the person's family who investigators are looking to speak to. Law enforcement will often seek information from the public, including people who may have happened to be going on with their daily lives but witnessed a crucial moment in the subject's disappearance, said former FBI Special Agent in Charge and ABC News contributor Steve Gomez.

"People usually see something, so that period of time is absolutely vital in order to find the person right away," he said.

In addition, it's important to generate as much awareness and as many leads as possible, Gomez said, adding that they tend to slow down after the 72-hour mark.

"That's why it's just so important to try and move the investigation along and to get the public's help," he said.

The victim could be in grave danger
Those first few days are especially crucial in the event that an individual is being transported or is in danger, Jeanis said.

Investigations on missing persons who authorities believe may be vulnerable -- such as children and those with a mental illness -- are expedited because time is of the essence to get the word out to the public to look for them, Jeanis said.

Although stranger kidnappings are "very, very rare," children are usually murdered quickly, sometimes within the first three hours but usually within the first two days, Jeanis said.

For others who go missing, there is usually a point in time in the investigation when objective switches from attempting to find a live person to trying to locate a body, Gomez said.

"There's a certain point after about a week or two where you have to think, the potential that the missing person is dead and now it's a matter of trying to find their body and bring closure to the family and to determine if you now have a homicide investigation, or suicide, or some kind of accidental death," Gomez said.

But, investigators have a procedure for determining if the case is urgent
As soon as police get a call reporting that someone is missing, they'll begin to evaluate whether the case even involves a missing person at all. Law enforcement then chooses how they will allocate resources to missing persons cases on a "case-by-case basis," Jeanis said.


For adults who are reported missing, one of the things investigators look to first is whether the subject was displaying a-typical behavior.

If someone called police to report that a spouse didn't come home right away, investigators will ask follow-up questions such as whether its unusual for him or her to go without contact for long periods of time, the experts said.

"Sometimes they'll be like ... 'Oh, let's wait and see. There might have been an argument,'" Fox said, adding that the "best policy is rather be safe than sorry."

However, if the subject usually comes home at a certain time or they have left essentials such as keys, cell phone and wallet at home and are suddenly missing, law enforcement will take that information "into account and adjust accordingly," Fox said.

In "serious cases" of missing children, in which law enforcement has a reason to believe the child has been abducted or is in imminent danger, an Amber Alert may be issued, Fox said.

Amber Alerts were designed "especially for those kids who are perceived to be in immediate danger," but there is specific criteria for the level of danger the case must meet to warrant the alert, Jeanis said.

For example, a runaway child would not qualify for an Amber Alert, Jeanis said. The reason for the selectivity, in part, is to not desensitize the public. Law enforcement wants the public to be "alert and aware" when a message is sent out, and too many could cause people to ignore it, Jeanis said.

Law enforcement then works diligently to bring answers to the family.

Once the subject is confirmed to be missing, investigators spring into action, setting up command posts, assigning agents to work the leads and organizing all of the information the investigation gathered, Gomez said.

For the families, not knowing what happened to their loved one is the "worst thing," and investigators have that in the forefront of their minds as they search for the person, Jeanis said.

Getting the word out to the public that someone is missing is "integral" to closing the case, Jeanis said.

"Every family wants that media attention" to help find their loved one, Jeanis said.

However, not all missing persons cases get the same media attention.

Jeanis and Fox worked together on a project to determine how social media, traditional media and law enforcement's techniques could "help to bring missing persons home safely, sooner," Fox said.

The study took all of the missing persons cases reported to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System database and studied factors such as how many media reports were written about each person, how many words were written about each person and how long it took to find them -- alive or dead -- or if they were never found. The ongoing study has not yet been published, Fox said.

"Research suggests that there's a disparity in media attention, especially at the national level, Jeanis said.

Women received nearly 12 times more media coverage, on average, than male victims, while white victims received nearly three times as much total media attention than minority victims, as well as higher word counts within articles, Fox said.

White, young, female victims -- often college co-eds or mothers -- "definitely get the most amount of attention," Fox said.

Jeanis described the "phenomenon" as "missing white woman syndrome."

In addition, the age of the victim correlated inversely with the word count within a story, with each additional year of age corresponding to a 4.4 percent decrease in the word count, Fox said.

Social media now plays a vital role in missing persons cases
Social media has become a "huge asset to safely recovering people," purely due to the ease of spreading the message, Fox said.

Fox used the example of Mollie Tibbetts, the Iowa college student who went missing in July and was found about a month later in a farm field.

"There as tons of social media coverage over trying to find her, getting the word out," Fox said. "In our research, we're finding that that is an effective message."

Authorities are searching for Mollie Tibbetts, 20, after she went missing while out for a run in Brooklyn, Iowa, July 18, 2018.more +
While people pay attention when seeing stories of missing persons on broadcast news, it "brings it a little closer to home" when they see someone they know or trust talking about it on Facebook or Twitter, Fox said.

"You don't have to know somebody to reach somebody," Jeanis said.

Gomez said the social media awareness "energizes the public to help the family and law enforcement," which generates leads.

Fox and Jeanis also work with law enforcement to make sure they understand that posting information on missing persons on their social media accounts increases the odds that they'll be able to find them sooner.

Before social media, law enforcement would release BOLOs -- or "be on the lookout" notices -- that would be posted to various neighborhoods, Gomez said. It is now the standard practice for those BOLOs to be posted to the law enforcement agency's social media accounts, Gomez said.

The sooner an announcement is made, the more likely the person will be safely recovered, Fox said.

How to report a missing person
It's not necessary to wait 24 to 48 hours before filing a report, according to Findlaw.com.

When filing the report, give law enforcement a detailed description of the subject's physical appearance such as his or her height, weight and age, as well as any identifying markers such as a tattoo or birth mark. Be sure to include clear photos of the missing person.

In addition, provide law enforcement with any details that may have contributed to the person's disappearance, such as whether they are mentally impaired or may have witnessed a crime.

What To Do When Your Child Goes Missing

Colette Buck | KHQ Local News Producer 

SPOKANE, Wash. - There were over 424,066 entries for missing children in the FBI's National Crime Information Center database in 2018.

While it may be scary to think about, children go missing from their homes, classrooms and neighborhoods everyday across the United States.

According to law enforcement, the best way to make sure your child returns home safety is to be prepared and know what you need to do if your child goes missing.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children lists several steps you can take to ensure your child returns home safely.

The steps you should follow include:

Call law enforcement immediately. You are advised to call the police immediately before starting to search for your child yourself. Police are required to enter a missing child's name and information into the FBI's National Crime Information Center Missing Person File right away. There is no waiting period for minors under the age of 18.

Prepare to release vital information about your child, including photos. That includes their full name, their height and weight, their age, date of birth, what they were last seen wearing and any identifying features. Police advise you also include the names of their friends, locations of any frequently visited spots, any health issues they many have or any other relevant details.

Look in your immediate area. Police advise you start looking where you last saw your child. If it was inside your home, check all the beds, couches, piles of laundry, vehicles and inside your washer and dryer. If your child is older, make sure to ask police to investigate their social media for clues and remember to call the parents of your child's friends.

Make yourself available. The first 48 hours after your child goes missing are critical. While you may be inclined to help physically search for your child, your time is better served gathering and providing information to investigators. Check your home for any personal items that may be missing, and make sure to keep your phone handy in case police need to get in touch.

Inform the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. After you've contacted the police, contact the NCMEC by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-(800)-843-5678). They can help you by putting you in touch with national non-profits that can help with the search.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, kidnapping cases are rare, but they do happen. Being prepared and knowing what to do when your child goes missing can help increase the changes that they are found safe, regardless of how they went missing.




Monday, October 14, 2019

Trinity Mount Ministries - CyberTipline - NCMEC - Report Abuse! 1-800-843-5678


NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, extra-familial child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.

What Happens to Information in a CyberTip?

NCMEC staff review each tip and work to find a potential location for the incident reported so that it may be made available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency for possible investigation. We also use the information from our CyberTipline reports to help shape our prevention and safety messages.

Is Your Image Out There?

Get Support

One of the worst things about sextortion is feeling like you’re facing everything alone. But you have people who care for you and want to help. Reach out to them!

A trusted adult can offer advice, help you report, and help you deal with other issues. It could be your mom, dad, an aunt, a school counselor, or anyone you trust and are comfortable talking to. You can also “self report” by making a report on your own to the CyberTipline.

Don’t Give Up

Having a sexual exploitative image of yourself exposed online is a scary experience. It can make you feel vulnerable and isolated, but remember, others have been in the same situation as you – and they’ve overcome it. Learn the steps you can take to limit the spread of the content.



Saturday, October 12, 2019

Operation Independence Day Arrest Results in Guilty Plea


Sperry Man Admits to Sexual Exploitation of a Child

A man arrested as part of a month long operation to capture predators and identify child victims pleaded guilty Friday in federal court for sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Thomas Dustin Daughtry, 42, of Sperry, illegally engaged with the minor from Feb. 18, 2019 through June 25, 2019. In his plea agreement, Daughtry stated that he knowingly enticed a 15-year-old into engaging in sexually explicit conduct and persuaded the minor to send sexual images to him.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is a fierce advocate for Oklahoma’s children,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Child predators like Mr. Daughtry use the internet as their hunting grounds to find vulnerable prey. Prosecutors and our law enforcement partners will remain vigilant in our own righteous hunt for these abusers and bring them forward to account for their crimes.”  
This prosecution resulted from Operation Independence Day, an investigation which was conducted in the month of July and resulted in nine individuals being charged federally in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
The nationwide operation relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces, which leverage the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local and tribal partners. In total, law enforcement recovered or identified 103 child victims and arrested of 67 sex traffickers.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Cozzoni is prosecuting the case.

Topic(s): 
Project Safe Childhood
Component(s): 
Contact: 
Public Affairs 918-382-2755


Sunday, September 29, 2019

Florida police arrest 23 suspected child predators and traffickers through online sting

By Morgan Phillips

Florida deputies arrested 23 suspected child predators and human traffickers during a recent four-day sting operation, all of which used online applications to seek out children, police said, according to Fox 13.

“Operation Intercept VII” targeted people who allegedly traveled to the county to meet minors for sex. The suspects arrested were between the ages of 21 and 77.

Those arrested allegedly responded to online ads, apps and social media websites, believing they were talking to children, but those "children" were actually undercover detectives. Police say one man sent over 90 sexually explicit photos to the detective.

The detectives provided an address for meet-ups, where authorities would be waiting. Deputies said several men brought condoms, one brought candy and one brought a sex toy.

“I wish I could say these operations were no longer needed but time and time again, even after we make dozens of arrests, these men keep coming back for more,” Sarasota County Sheriff Knight said in a press conference, according to Fox 13. “In this digital world we live in, innocent children are far too accessible to predators. That is why, as parents, we have to get serious about prevention. Parents are the first line of defense and we will never stop reminding our community of that.”

The sheriff’s office previously released a list of 15 apps about which parents should be leery. The apps, officials said, are often used by predators looking for children.

On Friday, investigators added yet more apps to that list.

The list included common dating apps such as Bumble, Grindr, Plenty of Fish and Zoosk. It also included messaging apps such as Snapchat, Whatsapp and Kik, and TikTok, an app beloved by Gen Z which allows users to create and share short videos.

Following the arrest of another 23 men for traveling to meet a child for sex, we are re-releasing our list of #AppsParentsShouldKnowAbout. During our latest initiative, #OperationInterceptVII, 23 men utilized apps including Plenty of Fish, HILY, MocoSpace and Zoosk to connect with boys and girls who they believed were 14-YEARS-OLD. Also new to our list is an app called "Monkey" - it is rated for kids "12 and up" but also has "mild sexual content and nudity."

PARENTS: WE WILL KEEP UPDATING THIS LIST SO LONG AS THESE MOBILE APPS ARE UTILIZED BY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PREY ON YOUR CHILDREN. LOOK THROUGH YOUR CHILD'S PHONE. PREVENTION STARTS IN THE HOME.