By Jill McLaughlin
Massachusetts authorities arrested 56 people across the state for alleged child pornography activities in a crime sweep dubbed “Operation Firewall,” state police announced on Monday.
The three-day investigation in 38 communities targeted the growing problem of possession, production, child enticement, and sharing of child sexual abuse material, the Massachusetts State Police reported.
In addition to the arrests, investigators say they searched 34 homes and seized 229 devices.
“Over several months, members of the State Police’s Division of Investigative Services used their training and skill to develop these cases,” said Col. Geoffrey Noble. “I commend the Troopers for their hard work to overcome the evasive tactics of suspects and build a comprehensive operational plan to safely remove predators from our streets.”
The defendants are expected to face charges connected to child pornography, child enticement, outstanding warrants for assault and battery of a child, rape of a child, and failure to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board, according to authorities.
The investigators worked for several weeks to develop Operation Firewall, according to Lt. Col. Daniel Tucker.
The operation relied on several partners, including detective units, district attorney’s offices, special tactical teams, and officials specializing in the apprehension of violent fugitives.
Troopers conducted arrests for a variety of sexual offenses with children, including contact, enticement, trafficking, and aggravated rape, the state reported.
“The Massachusetts State Police are working very hard every day to keep our communities safe, especially our children,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.
According to the state police, many child pornography investigations stem from a growing number of online tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding suspicious activity.
Under federal law, electronic service providers are required to submit a cyber tip line report to the agency when they recognize dangerous behavior. Troopers assigned to the cybercrime unit review the tips to see if the content violates the state’s child pornography laws.
“Since 2020, the number of Cyber Tips received by State Police has increased more than 270%,” the police statement said. “Last week alone, NCMEC reported 1,074 cyber tips for further investigation by the Cyber Crime Unit.”
Troopers also coordinate investigations through the Massachusetts Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, one of 60 task forces across the country that investigate and prosecute internet crimes against children.
According to the United States Sentencing Commission, child pornography offenses have increased almost 35 percent since 2020.
Nearly 46 percent of people sentenced for child pornography were sentenced for possessing it. Another 43 percent were sentenced for trafficking child pornography, and 11 percent were sentenced for receiving child pornography.
Most of those sentenced—99 percent—were men, and 71 percent of those were white, 18 percent Hispanic, 6 percent black, and 4.8 percent other races, according to the commission. Their average age was 41, and 95 percent were U.S. citizens, the agency reported.
The average sentence for people convicted of child pornography was 115 months.
Related posts:
ICE Arrests 9 Illegal Immigrants for Crimes Including Rape, Homicide, Sexual Assault
US Marshals Arrest Over 230 Fugitives, Including Rapists and Murderers, in Maryland Operation
Nantucket Residents Rattled by Arrest of 5 Illegal Immigrants for Violent Sex Crimes
DOJ Says Releasing Epstein Transcripts Serves ‘Public Interest’ in New Court Filing
