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. jasmine

    Whats with these people..this is one of the most worst forms of perversion. Messing with innocence is sure a one way road to he!!

    June 8, 2012 at 3:43 pm | Report abuse |
    • davecu

      I would like very much that the punishment would fit the crime!

      June 8, 2012 at 4:19 pm | Report abuse |
  2. benji

    This world is going to hell fast

    June 8, 2012 at 3:43 pm | Report abuse |
    • marty

      I disagree. The world is far better today than it was 50 or 100 years ago, and the future looks even better.

      June 9, 2012 at 10:37 am | Report abuse |
    • me

      Hell only exists in your imagination.

      June 11, 2012 at 1:28 pm | Report abuse |
    • pm ohio

      Hell is a made up place that religion uses to scare the meek into submission and into giving them thier money. Humans are so self-centered to think there is a "better place ie: Heaven" and our lives have to have meaning. Are there heavens for all of the animals that have ever existed? Following that line of logic, wouldn't every animal's life have to have meaning also? Why would humans be more important? Kind of arrogant for the writers of the Bible to plant that seed. The Bible is nothing more than parables to help guide us to a better life and happier existence for the time we are here. It is contradictory and open to interpretation. It is currently being manipulated by church leaders to influence and create wealth for themselves.

      June 11, 2012 at 2:34 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Hey, don't touch me there

    You're not a priest.

    June 8, 2012 at 3:54 pm | Report abuse |
    • Glen

      or a teacher?

      June 8, 2012 at 5:34 pm | Report abuse |
  4. kizi420

    as long as there is an audience for this filth, it will continue to exist.with todays technology they are able to be traced to their livingrooms. its great to see some action taken. hopefully there will be new legislature and tougher laws enacted that will really punish the offenders and help the victims.

    June 8, 2012 at 4:16 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Meanwhile

    18 million should be arrested. (approx. number of religious individuals who know of child raype cases (yes, according to the Department of Justice, 'fondling' is raype) yet failed to alert the police. This goes for not only priests/church officials, but also for parents who knew but for some wicked reasoning decided NOT to alert the police.

    June 8, 2012 at 4:18 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Vet

    I would love to be there when you meet your god. Now THAT will be funny.

    June 8, 2012 at 4:25 pm | Report abuse |
    • me

      There is no such thing as gods. They are imaginary.

      June 11, 2012 at 1:26 pm | Report abuse |
    • Ron

      It's very important for Atheists and child molesters to believe there is no God. It helps them be the kind of evil people they really are.

      June 11, 2012 at 11:30 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Jonathan

    For those of you who say this world is going to hell fast, thi stuff has been happening for years. Hell, long before this! We just had it where we scared the children into never saying anything about it, plus it isn't like we've had the internet all this time either. (Well, we did, but only the government could use it.)

    June 8, 2012 at 4:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • BigRed

      So from what your post alludes to, you are including yourself in the list of offenders? Is that what you are trying to say?

      June 8, 2012 at 4:58 pm | Report abuse |
  8. d

    Has It ever occurred to those of you who are ready to put these perpetrators to death that it would then make more sense to dispose of the witmess?

    June 8, 2012 at 4:32 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Meanwhile

    Are you all talking about the God president Obama worships, or Gerorge W. Bush's God. And who would dis God and then vote for a godly man like Mitt Romney?
    Save your poking fun of God for the next town hall meeting or presidential debate. Make fun of God to the man you plan on voting for and see if he even wants your stupid vote, for example.
    All non-believers should recuse themselves from voting for a man who swears by the bible.

    June 8, 2012 at 4:36 pm | Report abuse |
    • Lol

      What do you want him to swear upon? A Sears catalog? Ridiculous.

      June 8, 2012 at 4:50 pm | Report abuse |
    • Fred Evil

      Sure we should. And all believers should refrain from voting PERIOD.
      If you are gullible enough to fall for the bible, or the Torah, or the Qu'ran being 'real' I don't want your lack of critical thought contributing to the future of the US!!

      June 8, 2012 at 5:13 pm | Report abuse |
  10. REAL N SAD

    They need to do this stuff all the time 24/7 . 1 of the top most SICK SICK problems in america. Hope those sick ppl all get caught and get what they deserve!!!

    June 8, 2012 at 4:57 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Fred Evil disses American Presidents

    Wtg Fred. You just called Bush, Obama, and Romney "gullible", and even went so faras to say they "lack critical thought contributing to the future of US."
    Who are you going to vote for? Surely not for one of the believers you just hosed down.

    June 8, 2012 at 5:35 pm | Report abuse |
  12. lol (cont. from 4:50 post)

    What do you want Dr. Monescript to swear the Hippocratic Oath on, a European Vacation spiff from Big-Pharma?
    (as if Presidents Bush and Obama only swore on the bible. They worship God you ninny. Both men claim to be practiceing Christians.
    If you think christian presidents only say they believe in a god and swear on the bible for show, who could you ever vote for without becoming a hypocrite yourself?

    June 8, 2012 at 5:45 pm | Report abuse |
    • LMAO

      What does this have to do with the posted topic?

      June 8, 2012 at 5:53 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Parent

    we are out there looking for you, we will find you, and you will be prosecuted

    Pity they could not use the like from TAKEN.

    "I will find you and I will kill you."

    June 8, 2012 at 7:02 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Parent

    The replies are all screwed up! All stories have been combined. Useless CNNNN!

    June 8, 2012 at 7:03 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Parent

    Lord? There is no Lord!

    June 8, 2012 at 7:04 pm | Report abuse |
    • john

      Not for you there isn't.

      June 10, 2012 at 3:50 am | Report abuse |
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