June 8th, 2012
10:36 AM ET

18 rescued in child pornography raids, feds say

Eighteen victims of child pornography were rescued during a nationwide sweep by federal law enforcement agencies, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Friday.

The sweep, dubbed Operation Orion, resulted in the arrests of 190 individuals, most of which were in the U.S. but included arrests in Argentina, the Philippines, Spain and the United Kingdom, ICE said in a press release. The operation took place from May 1 to May 31.

"Let this operation be a warning to anyone who would think they can use the Internet to exploit children: we are out there looking for you, we will find you, and you will be prosecuted," ICE Director John Morton said in a statement.

Morton said as children begin summer vacations, parents should pay extra attention to how much time they spend on the Internet.

"Many of the child exploitation cases under Operation Orion began with a child or teen chatting with someone he or she met online," Morton said in the statement.

Related stories:

Interpol targets 55 suspects using social network sites for child sex abuse images

Former top FBI agent charged with child porn distribution

2011: 72 charged in online global child porn ring

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Filed under: Crime
soundoff (254 Responses)
  1. Junk

    Pictures or it didnt happen

    June 8, 2012 at 11:58 am | Report abuse |
    • Kevin

      Your intelligence depends on your eyes?

      June 8, 2012 at 12:11 pm | Report abuse |
    • woogiesmom

      Hope you mean pictures of those arrested and not the children.

      June 8, 2012 at 12:13 pm | Report abuse |
    • Michael

      LOL that is SO wrong but SO funny 🙂

      June 8, 2012 at 12:20 pm | Report abuse |
    • Chuck in Jasper, Ga.

      Right, I suppose you want pictures of oxygen as well or it does not exist.

      June 8, 2012 at 12:29 pm | Report abuse |
    • SD

      You're first on their list!

      June 8, 2012 at 12:32 pm | Report abuse |
  2. dreamer96

    Don't take those sickos to jail...just stick them in the ground from the neck down, right next to a angry ant hill...

    June 8, 2012 at 12:03 pm | Report abuse |
    • midogs2

      One mighty solution.

      June 8, 2012 at 12:45 pm | Report abuse |
  3. TriXen

    Stick them in a cell with Christopher Scarver for a while (if you don't know who that is, look him up–prison hero!)

    June 8, 2012 at 12:03 pm | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Wasn't that Dahmer's killer?

      June 8, 2012 at 12:25 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Schnoober

    Schnoobadebop

    June 8, 2012 at 12:04 pm | Report abuse |
  5. snowdogg

    Due process? Hang everyone of them AT ONCE! Justice served.

    June 8, 2012 at 12:04 pm | Report abuse |
    • DD

      Yeah, screw trials! Let's just kill anyone the police ever arrest! That'd be SO "small government"!

      June 8, 2012 at 4:50 pm | Report abuse |
  6. vin

    Just imagine how many children they could save if they weren't too busy spending most their time being the entertainment industries strong arm goons/police for hire.

    June 8, 2012 at 12:05 pm | Report abuse |
    • Boink

      I think you need to elabortae more on this

      June 8, 2012 at 12:46 pm | Report abuse |
  7. melanie

    it's great that they caught them, the
    problem is our criminal justice sytem won't do nearly enough to punish them; we would rather fill our prisons w people convicted on drug charges (who often get stiffer sentences than rapists and child abusers). Whats wrong w this picture?

    June 8, 2012 at 12:10 pm | Report abuse |
    • Chuck in Jasper, Ga.

      Apparently too many clothes.

      June 8, 2012 at 12:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • maxp0wer

      15 year minimum mandatory for production of CP.

      June 8, 2012 at 12:37 pm | Report abuse |
  8. cranklyn

    i wonder if this has anything to do with Anonymous going after pedos on twitter....i was jsut 2 days ago

    June 8, 2012 at 12:14 pm | Report abuse |
  9. homer

    Stick these sickos in a cell with Luka Rocco Magnotta.

    June 8, 2012 at 12:19 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Spaghetti Monster (not to be confused with the Great Flying Spaghetti Monster)

    I favor the death penalty in very few situations. This is definitely one of them, I have some rope the authorities can borrow, in case they want to "speed things up." If they don't get death, I hope they put them in the general population and make it common knowledge they are pedophiles. You reap what you sow, and I hope it comes back 10 fold on these individuals.

    June 8, 2012 at 12:22 pm | Report abuse |
  11. New Gawker

    We'd arrest and save 1000's more if they just round up all those priests.

    June 8, 2012 at 12:23 pm | Report abuse |
  12. convinceme123

    As sad as this is, those children are better off that the ones being slaughtered in Syria.....

    June 8, 2012 at 12:25 pm | Report abuse |
  13. WomenOnGuard

    Any kid can get access by lying about their age and joining Facebook. It's really up to the parents, to find out and supervise. Or have a password on the computer, so only the parents can access it. It's usually the parent's fault if the kid gets into trouble. Then they blame others for their own carelessness, when something happens!

    June 8, 2012 at 12:38 pm | Report abuse |
    • Spaghetti Monster (not to be confused with the Great Flying Spaghetti Monster)

      I fully agree, I have pws on all of my internet capable devices. However, that doesn't change the fact that these people abused these children too. Yes, prevention starts at home, but hold these people accountable for their actions as well.

      June 8, 2012 at 12:44 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Portland tony

    Yeah, like an eight year old looking for a "mature 40ish dude". You and your post are friggin' sick.

    June 8, 2012 at 12:43 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Spidey-Man

    Fry these animals in the electric chair. Start low and turn it up gradually. With a metal prod stuck in their... youknow...

    June 8, 2012 at 12:45 pm | Report abuse |
    • ag

      That sounds like the right punishment for these worms...

      June 8, 2012 at 1:04 pm | Report abuse |
    • gregs

      My first post to cnn. Just wanted to say I like the way you think.

      June 8, 2012 at 1:07 pm | Report abuse |
    • kristiKay

      Hell yes!

      June 8, 2012 at 1:08 pm | Report abuse |
    • louise

      Well said...

      June 8, 2012 at 1:13 pm | Report abuse |
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