FBI and DOJ arrest 205 suspected child sexual predators in 'historic' operation

An operation conducted jointly by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI resulted in the arrest of 205 people accused of being child sexual predators. They allegedly committed their crimes through online platforms and the internet.

This operation, dubbed "Operation Restore Justice," involved 55 different agencies. The arrests took place over five days and 115 minors were released from alleged sexual predators.

Arrestees could face the maximum prison sentence

Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel held a press conference detailing the entire operation, from the investigation phase to the arrests and rescue of the minors.

Bondi stressed the importance of the operation, which she defined as "historic" and "unprecedented" in the framework of investigations against the sexual abuse of minors. In addition, the attorney general assured that she will do everything possible to ensure that those arrested, if convicted, face the "maximum prison sentence."

"These depraved human beings, if convicted, will face the maximum penalty in prison, some [for] life. We will find you. We will arrest you, and we will charge you. If you are online targeting a child, you will not escape us. The FBI and the Department of Justice will come after you. And we will prosecute you," Bondi noted.

"The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect children and we will not rest until we find and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable. Thank you to the [FBI] for incredible work," the attorney general added.

Patel was more precise and offered more detailed information on the operation.

"I can join [Attorney General Bondi] and [the DOJ] in announcing the arrest of over 200 alleged child sex predators in the last week. For the last week, the FBI and DOJ have been quietly surging operations across 55 field offices to take down criminals who target kids," Patel said.

"Our agents, support teams and partners did excellent work — rescuing 115 children across the country in the process. ... Operation Restore Justice is a powerful message: If you harm children in America, you will be given no sanctuary. There is nowhere you can hide. You will be hunted down, and you will be prosecuted," added the FBI director.

Parents urged to monitor their children on the internet

Bondi and Patel agreed in asking parents to keep a closer eye on their children's use of online platforms and the internet, with the goal of not falling into the traps of sexual predators.

"They're talking to your kids like they're other children and they're not. They're predators. They pose as children. They get them sometimes to post explicit pictures of themselves after they talk to them, and then, in some cases, they even try to blackmail the children," Bondi said.

Bondi: Jeffrey Epstein's files continue to be reviewed

On the sidelines of the operation, Bondi affirmed that the FBI continues to review all files related to the case of child sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein.

The attorney general noted that authorities are working "diligently," while remarking that there are "tens of thousands of videos" from the pedophile that are classified as "child pornography."