Guns, drugs seized during Arizona child sex crimes operation; 14 arrested
Full press conference: Arizona child sex crimes suspects arrested
Apache Junction Police officials held a news conference on Feb. 21 to announce a child sex crimes operation that resulted in over a dozen arrests, as well as the seizure of guns and drugs.
APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. - Over a dozen people were arrested, and guns and drugs were seized, during a law enforcement operation targeting online child sex crimes.
What we know:
The Apache Junction Police Department says 14 people were arrested during the operation, which took place last month.
During a news conference on Feb. 21, police and the Pinal County Attorney's Office said the suspects lured children for sexual encounters. Some of the suspects allegedly used alcohol, money and food to lure children.
Officials say no children were involved in the operation.
During the operation, guns and drugs were also recovered.
What we don't know:
The suspects are all men, but they were not identified.
Authorities did say, however, that one of the suspects was a military veteran, and one was a youth sports coach.
Many of them, according to police, were raising children who were either younger or of the same age as the children they were allegedly trying to lure.
In one case, police said the child they thought they were talking to was seven years old. Once again, it should be noted that, per officials, no actual children were involved in the operation.
What they're saying:
Authorities are urging parents to learn the dangers of social media.
"The reason we're here is because you can never have enough reminders to parents, guardians, teachers, medical… anybody, that these, our juveniles, our youth, are our most precious commodity, and we have to protect them," Apache Junction Police Chief Michael Pooley said.