ATLANTA () – The Federal Bureau of Investigation is cracking down on child sex abuse offenders.
FBI investigators in Atlanta report that as part of “Operation Restore Justice,” they have successfully rescued 115 children and arrested 205 individuals over the past week.
In Georgia, the FBI says nine people were charged with the operation including five in Atlanta, two in Augusta and two in Rome.
According to the FBI, the charges involve possession of child sexual abuse materials, including pornographic content, materials intended to entice minors, and obstruction of justice.
Officials advise parents to remind their children not to share compromising pictures online or via phone, particularly with strangers, as criminals may use such images to extort money.
“Those are the ones who will notice a change in behavior to monitor both their online and offline activity. Are they becoming secretive? Are they withdrawing activities that they enjoyed in the past? Are they talking about sexual topics that would be inappropriate or why they have that knowledge?” said Special Agent Paul Brown of FBI Atlanta.
The FBI said this is part of a nationwide effort with all 55 FBI field offices working together to crack down on child abuse offenders.
The Department wants the public to report any suspected child exploitation cases to the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or www.tips.fbi.gov.
