Washington State Patrol Arrests More Than 20 Child Predators

Washington State Patrol troopers in the past week arrested 21 men they said planned to rape children but instead were talking with undercover law enforcement.

Operation Net Nanny, run out of Pierce County, had undercover officers communicate online and through social media with people who expressed an interest in having sex with children. Hundreds of people responded, State Patrol Lt. James Mjor said in a news release.

Over five days, the men were arrested while traveling to meet with the “children,” who they thought were as young as 9, Mjor said.

This was the 13th Net Nanny operation the State Patrol has undertaken since August 2015, Mjor said. More than 200 people have been arrested, and 30 child victims rescued in that time.

The men face charges that include attempted first-degree child rape, attempted second-degree child rape, commercial sex abuse of a minor and possession of child pornography.

County and local law enforcement agencies throughout Washington, along with military police and federal agencies, helped the State Patrol in the operation.  (The Olympian, August 1, 2018)
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The FTC provides information on protecting kids on-line.  US-CERT also provides information about keeping children safe on-line.

• According to the New England Journal of Public Policy, contact with online predators happens mostly in chat rooms, on social media, or in the chat feature of a multiplayer game (Roblox, Minecraft, Clash of Clans, World of Warcraft, and so on).
• Most games meant for kids -- like Roblox and Animal Jam -- have built-in features and settings that are designed to prevent inappropriate comments and chat. Though they’re often imperfect, they do help.
• Games that aren’t designed only for kids have fewer controls, settings, and safeguards.
• Any app or online space that allows contact with strangers without moderation or age verification can allow contact between kids and adult strangers.
• Teens sometimes visit adult sites, chat rooms, and dating apps out of curiosity about sex and romance.
• Only 5 percent of online predators pretend they're kids. Most reveal that they're older -- which is especially appealing to 12-to-15-year-olds who are most often targeted.
• Some predators initiate sexual talk or request pictures immediately and back off if refused. They're in it for an immediate result.
• In contrast, some predators engage in "bunny hunting," which is the process of picking a potential victim for "grooming": They'll look at social media posts and public chats to learn about the kid first.
• Once they've selected someone, they may begin the grooming phase, which often involves friending the target's contacts, engaging in increasingly personal conversations to build trust, taking the conversation to other platforms (like instant messaging), requesting pictures, and finally requesting offline contact.
• Sometimes if a kid shares one compromising picture, a predator will engage in "sextortion," which involves demanding more pictures or contact under threat of exposure or harm.
• Predators target kids who post revealing pictures, divulge past sexual abuse, and/or engage in sexual talk online.
• There's some conflicting research about what ages are most at-risk, but 12 to 15 seems to be prime time, and girls are more frequent victims.
• Teen boys who are questioning their sexuality are the second-most targeted group because they often feel talking about it online is safer than sharing in real life.
• Sometimes, teens egg each other on to pursue contact with strangers online, and it can feel like a game.
• Teens want to feel special, validated, attractive, and understood at a time when they're separating from their parents, so an older "friend" who’s very interested in them can feel exciting and special.
• Most often, teens engage in relationships with predators willingly, though they often keep them secret.
• If your kid withdraws and becomes secretive around a device (hiding the screen, clicking from a window suddenly), it could be an indicator.
• Phone calls and gifts from unknown people are possible signs.
• Porn on the device your kid uses might be a sign.