An extensive, weeks-long investigation dubbed "Operation Janus" resulted in the arrests of 59 people. The operation involved law enforcement agencies from federal, state, and local levels.
The investigation's focus was to apprehend those who either trafficked or possessed illegal images or videos involving minors.
Seeing the list of those implicated was a sobering reminder that many of these are seemingly normal, everyday people. People we might work with, people who could be neighbors, and people who may even be in our families. Some who, on the surface, appear to be pillars of their communities.
A nurse, substitute teacher, paramedics, and firefighters were among those charged.
Of the 59 arrested, it appears all were in Texas, with the exception of one arrest that took place in Alaska. The alleged crimes occurred between January 16 and February 10. In total, there were 80 charges.
The sweeping operation began when Facebook and Google flagged potentially illegal activity, and from there, various law enforcement agencies took over.
Also seized was evidence that could potentially lead to the arrests of additional offenders.
These arrests come off the heels of another disturbing story where a trucker was arrested in Denton County for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor.
In that story, a 16-year-old was reported missing from her family's home. Detectives were able to identify a suspect through the victim's cell phone. That suspect was truck driver Richard Laird. When police found Laird's truck, they found the victim inside the truck's cab.
As a result of Operation Janus, 28 children were rescued.
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