The North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and FBI Dallas’s North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force concluded their Operation Soteria Shield that began in April 2025. The U.S. Attorney’s office announced that the operation resulted in 244 arrests and 109 children being rescued.
The goal of the operation was to rescue children from online sexual exploitation and capture predators and was a joint effort between the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Dallas Division, Dallas Police Department, Plano Police Department, Wylie Police Department, and Garland Police Department.
The operation used the knowledge of computer crimes experts who investigated nonstop to identify perpetrators and victims in the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material.
Law enforcement also seized several terabytes of digital evidence that were used in the commission of these crimes. Forensic analysis is ongoing and will determine if there are more arrests to be made or if there are additional victims.
According to Childlight, an estimated 300 million kids fall victim to technology-based sexual exploitation and abuse each year. That number equates to 12.6% or one in eight kids who are subjected to non-consensual taking, sharing and exposure to sexual images and video.
Additionally, these victims have also experienced unwanted sexual talk which can include non-consensual sexting, unwanted sexual questions and unwanted sexual act requests by adults or other youths.
Grace Tame, a child sexual abuse survivor, calls this a global health crisis that is only worsening because of technology.
“Child sexual abuse is a global public health crisis that is steadily worsening thanks to advancing technologies which enable instantaneous production and limitless distribution of child exploitation material, as well as unregulated access to children online. A centralized global research database is essential to safeguarding children,” she said.
According to the United States Sentencing Commission, the average sentence for someone convicted of child pornography is between 104-269 months, depending on the circumstances.
“This was not an easy operation, but a necessary one. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to protect the children in our communities, and we will hold child predators accountable for their crimes,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
The Dallas Police Department Chief Daniel C. Comeaux expressed his gratitude for the other agencies that took part in the operation and his pride that the DPD took the lead on the undertaking.
“I am proud that the Dallas Police Department is the lead agency for the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and am grateful for the many, many agencies who contributed to this successful operation,” he said.
The FBI has also created the Safe Online Surfing (SOS) Internet Challenge, a free educational program designed for students in grades 3 through 8. The aim is to teach kids about cyber safety and includes topics like cyberbullying, passwords, malware and social media.
Those who have information about child sexual exploitation can file a report at report.cybertip.org or call 911.
