35 Arrested in Md. on Child Sexual Exploitation Charges

COLUMBIA, Md. (June 21, 2017)—Maryland's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force yields 35 arrests in Maryland, 11 of which were arrested by Maryland State Police investigators, while participating in "Operation Broken Heart," a nationwide, two-month initiative targeting offenders of child sexual exploitation.

The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) was one of 61 task forces included in "Operation Broken Heart IV", a two-month initiative. Members from the Maryland ICAC worked tirelessly throughout April and May, initiating 314 investigations. Investigators executed 75 search warrants with 35 arrests. There were also public outreach sessions, which reached over 400 people.

The coordinated effort by law enforcement represents more than 3,000 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies with the purpose of arresting child predators, along with internet safety education and outreach. During the National Operation, investigators educated over 99,000 individuals during 1,245 educational programs across the country.

The Maryland ICAC Task Force is comprised of police agencies statewide. They concentrated on those offenders who possess, manufacture, and distribute child pornography and who engage in online enticement of children for sexual purposes. They also targeted crimes including child prostitution and human trafficking.

The Task Force's primary mission continues to be to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. This goal is achieved by cooperation between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors as they combine resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force also provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.