OAN Staff Abril Elfi
2:44 PM – Sunday, November 24, 2024
23 men have been arrested in a multi-agency undercover sexual predator sting operation.
The Inviticus Task Force (ITF) and the Kernersville Police Department, conducted “Operation Milestone,” a five-day undercover operation aimed at apprehending individuals accused of attempting to engage in sexual acts with minors.
The operation took place from October 23rd to October 27th in Davidson and Forsyth Counties.
Investigators allege that several of the men charged traveled to Davidson or Forsyth County with the intent to engage in sexual activity with individuals they believed to be minors, whom they had contacted through online applications.
“During our projects, we had 100 people here at any one time,” Sheriff Richie Simmons with Davidson County, said.
During a press conference, Simmons explained how the operation worked.
“This whole room was filled with computers,” he said. “And they were talking to these individuals on computers as they were being solicited.”
The operation resulted in the arrest of 23 individuals, all of whom had traveled to various counties across the state to solicit and facilitate sexual acts with minors.
Johnson noted that, unfortunately, this remains a recurring issue encountered by local law enforcement during such operations.
“We’re losing young people every day to crimes that these individuals are committing,” he said. “This is a problem for law enforcement. It’s a problem for our children, and we must protect our children.”
“As you see these individuals on the wall, I don’t think you would pick them out,” Simmons said. “They’re hard to pick out. They look like everyday individuals that you run into, and, in fact, they are.”
Sheriff Gregory Seabolt with Randolph County said that while Operation Millstone was a success, the task force knows they’re job is not done.
“You see the 23 pictures up here. You take those away, there’s 23, 46, hundreds of more people out there that are soliciting our children here in this area,” Seabolt said. “And it’s our job to take the proactive approach and try to lure these individuals into making a mistake and communicating with us.”
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