"Operation Broken Heart" targeted child pornography peddlers, pimps, sex tourists, and child sex traffickers who make the Internet their global market. On Thursday, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have announced that they have made 275 arrests with the help of "Operation Broken Heart."
They arrested a teacher's assistant who was accused of going to a meeting just so he could have sex with two children. There was also a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy who was charged with distributing materials for child pornography over the Internet. A 64-year-old computer programmer was also arrested for allegedly meeting up with a 15-year-old girl for sex.
Also, a US Army soldier who was currently on leave was also arrested. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually meeting up with undercover police who posed as young girls. Little did he know that as soon as he showed up for sex, he was going straight to jail.
A former substitute teacher was also arrested after allegedly posting a personal advertisement online, seeking sex with a father-and-son tandem. She was arrested after she thought she was going to meet up with an 8-year-old boy.
Claude Arnold, ICE Homeland Security Special Agent, said, "The dirty old man stereotype no longer applies. The perpetrators in these cases come from all walks of life and virtually every strata of the socioeconomic spectrum. They're community leaders, white-collar professionals, and even law enforcement personnel. The common denominator in most of these cases is the Internet. It has become the preferred playground for child sex predators."
Based on the statement of LA Police Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese, the investigators associated with the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes against Children Task Force posed as young teenagers on the Internet. As soon as the perpetrator would show up for the sex trade, an arrest will immediately take place.
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