Regional law enforcement officials will gather in downtown Los Angeles Thursday to announce the results of what they have dubbed, “Operation Firewall,” an investigation into child exploitation that has seen more than 100 arrests and dozens of rescues.
According to a media advisory, officials from some of the 112 law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation will be on hand to discuss “the 341 arrests and 40 child rescues/identifications resulting from Operation Firewall, while also providing the community with valuable internet safety education and prevention resources aimed at protecting children from online exploitation.”
The investigation by the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes against Children Task Force was conducted in five Southern California counties from April 1, through May 3, officials said.
Scheduled to attend are LAPD Chief of Police Jim McDonnell, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman; Central District First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli; Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang of Homeland Security Investigations, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes, Burbank Chief of Police Rafael Quintero, South Gate Chief of Police Manuel Arana, Arcadia Chief of Police Roy Nakamura, Long Beach Chief of Police Wally Hebeish, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Chief James Harden, as well as representatives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s and Probation departments, the San Bernardino Police Department, Redlands Police Department, West Covina Police Department, Ontario Police Department, Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department, Downey Police Department and the USC campus police.