FRANKFORT — A month-long national operation targeting online child exploitation led to the arrest of 16 individuals in Kentucky, officials announced Thursday.
The effort, part of Operation Safe Online Summer, was conducted throughout April by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and involved law enforcement agencies in all 50 states. In Kentucky, the State Police Electronic Crime Branch led the campaign that resulted in the identification of 11 child victims.
“These arrests represent our continued commitment to building a safer Kentucky, especially for our most vulnerable children,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement. “I am proud of our Electronic Crime Branch team for working hard to take predators off the internet and off the streets.”
According to Lt. Mike Bowling, commander of the State Police Electronic Crime Branch, the operation extends beyond enforcement.
“It is about education, prevention and protecting the most vulnerable among us,” Bowling said. “Every child we protect and every victim we identify is a step closer to a safer online environment for Kentucky’s youth.”
During the operation, the Electronic Crime Branch launched more than 70 investigations stemming from complaints and cyber tips, executed 37 search warrants, and arrested 16 suspects. The agency submitted 18 cases for prosecution—16 at the state level and two at the federal level. Investigators conducted 37 forensic examinations of digital evidence and analyzed over 930 gigabytes of data.
The Electronic Crime Branch also conducted 14 community presentations on internet safety, reaching over 730 Kentuckians.
The operation brings the total number of child predators arrested by the branch to 325 since 2019, when Gov. Beshear took office.
Kentucky State Police encourages parents, educators and community leaders to remain vigilant about the dangers children can face online.
Kentuckians who recognize a cybercrime involving a child can report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline or by calling 1-800-THE LOST. After preliminary analysis, a report is generated and sent to the KSP.
For more information about the KSP Electronic Crime Branch and internet safety resources, visit the agency’s website.