SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 26, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — More than 10 suspects who law enforcement agencies say were using the Internet to target children for exploitation or to deal in images harmful to minors are now offline and under arrest.
That’s according to a statement from the Utah Attorney General’s Office.
The sting, using information collected by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), was accomplished with the cooperation of multiple law enforcement agencies, the statement says. ICAC’s focus is targeting online offenders who attempt to enticed and sexually exploit children.
The charges so far include:
- Enticing a minor and/or sexual exploitation of a minor
- Dealing in materials harmful to a minor
- Giving false information to a police officer
Arrests were made in Weber, Davis, and Salt Lake counties. Municipalities are considering a variety of charges in the cases, the Utah A.G.’s office said.
Agencies that participated were: Weber County Sheriff’s Office, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Utah County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Provo City Police Department, Vernal City Police Department, Adult Probation and Parole, South Salt Lake Police Department, Pleasant Grove Police Department, Davis County Sheriff’s Office, Orem City Police Department, Uintah County Sheriff’s Office, and Syracuse Police Department.
The Utah Attorney General ICAC Task Force was created in 2000 and is one of 61 ICAC task forces in the country, according to the Utah Attorney General’s website. State affiliates work closely because so many Internet crimes against children cross state lines.
Utah’s ICAC has 32 affiliates — local, state and federal police agencies involved in the task force — and more than 80 ICAC Task Force police officers throughout the state.
