250+ Child Predators Arrested in ‘Operation Spring Cleaning’

As part of the ongoing Operation Spring Cleaning, one of the largest law enforcement task forces in the country announced hundreds of arrests of alleged child predators throughout Southern California on Wednesday.

The arrests were announced by the Los Angeles Regional ICAC Task Force, which is led by the L.A. Police Department and works with law enforcement agencies across L.A., Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The task force led Operation Spring Cleaning between April 6 and 19.

During a news conference Wednesday, the force announced that during that brief period, 265 alleged child predators were arrested. Authorities said many of those suspects held "positions of trust within their communities" and had roles that placed them in contact with children.

"The goal was to identify and arrest predators who were using the internet to sexually exploit children and to rescue young victims from abuse," said LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.

The operation, McDonnell detailed, was separated into two phases.

The first included law enforcement officers working undercover on social media platforms, where they observed suspects attempting to lure vulnerable children. In the second phase, officers served warrants after tracking down suspects.

In addition to the arrests, 27 children were rescued during the operation.

Arrests were made on suspicion of the following crimes across Southern California, according to the LAPD:

• Possession of child sexual abuse material

• Distribution of child sexual abuse material

• Production of child sexual abuse material

• Sending obscene matter to a child for sexual gratification

• Lewd acts with a child, meeting a minor for lewd purposes

• Contact or attempt to contact a minor for sex

• Lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14 years of age

• Human Trafficking

• Oral copulation with a minor

• Indecent exposure

• Child annoying,

• Failure to register as a convicted sex offender

• And various violations of parole/probation conditions by convicted sex offenders.

About 1,000 parents and children were given internet safety training as part of the operation.

"These aren't just numbers," McDonnell said. "These are lives saved, futures restored and predators removed from our neighborhoods."

On Wednesday, L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said any person who commits an illegal sex act against a child is "stealing their innocence and likely causing a lifetime of harm."

"I actually think the name 'Operation Spring Cleaning' is too nice," Hochman said. "I would actually call this 'Operation Sick and Depraved Cleaning.' Because that's exactly what the people who are engaged in these internet crimes against children are doing.

Hochman vowed that the suspects accused of these crimes within his jurisdiction will be prosecuted to the "full extent of the law."