Four Washington arrests in nationwide crackdown on Internet child sex crimes

Local police and federal agents nationwide arrested more than 250 people suspected of Internet sex crimes against children, including four arrests in Washington state.

‘Operation iGuardian’ was a five-week operation that included the seizure of massive amounts of sexually explicit material stored on computers and hard drives. But it doesn’t stop there, according to Andrew Munoz, with the Seattle office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That agency is a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

“We continue to go through the evidence, go through these images to identify unknown victims and hopefully locate those victims and rescue them.”

This latest operation identified or rescued 61 child victims, including three in Washington state.

“Thirty children were abused through direct, physical contact,” said John Morton, director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “invariably by a relative, neighbor or acquaintance.”

More than one third of the victims were younger than 10-years old.

The latest crackdown in part of an ongoing investigation into Internet crimes against children.

“It’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to child predators on the Internet,” said Munoz. He said predators are increasingly using the Internet to lure, coerce, and even bully child victims to produce and share sexually explicit material.

Those arrested during “Operation iGuardian” could face charges in federal court, including online sexual enticement of a minor, child pornography production, possession and distribution of child pornography, traveling with the intent to have sex with a minor and rape or molestation, among other charges.