“The importance of presenting a united front against cyber criminals, when we are trying to protect our children, cannot be over emphasized,” says Attorney General Bill McCollum. “Internet predators know no geographical boundaries, and we must fully cooperate to effectively cover our state with our protective efforts. This operation has achieved phenomenal results and my office will soon have 50 additional staff members in the CyberCrime Unit to assist in these endeavors.”
The CyberCrime Unit's and Operation Eviction’s goal is to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children by merging together all available resources.
“The United States Attorney's Offices in Florida are committed to vigorously prosecuting child pornography and exploitation cases under the Attorney General's highest priority, Project Safe Childhood,” says acting U.S. Attorney James R. Klindt. “Together with our state and local partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue and incarcerate for the longest terms possible those who would use the Internet to prey on Florida's children.”
Statistics purport that more than 77 million American children regularly use the Internet. According to the Federal Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Florida ranks fourth in the nation in volume of child pornography. Disturbingly, statistics also purport that nationally, one in seven children between the ages of ten and 17 have been solicited online by a sexual predator.
