FBI’s Nationwide Prostitution Sweep Saves One Child Locally, Arrests One Pimp

Over the weekend, the FBI and numerous local, state and national organizations conducted Operation Cross Country, a massive prostitution sting focused on 76 cities. In all, the effort brought 105 children to safety and put 150 pimps behind bars.

The numbers are impressive in cities from coast to coast, and the Cleveland division of the FBI was involved in a small part. One child was rescued here, and one pimp was arrested.

“Operation Cross Country demonstrates just how many of America’s children are being sold for sex every day, many on the Internet,” said John Ryan, CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “We’re honored and proud to partner with the FBI, which has taken the lead in tackling this escalating problem.”

This article appears in Jul 24-30, 2013.