Over 200 Arrested, 115 Children Rescued in Major Federal Operation Targeting Online Child Predators

Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Wednesday the arrest of 205 individuals accused of preying on children online as part of a sweeping federal initiative dubbed Operation Restore Justice, Fox News reports.

The joint effort between the Department of Justice and the FBI also led to the rescue of 115 children across the United States.

Describing the operation as “historic” and “unprecedented,” Bondi said it spanned 55 FBI field offices nationwide and urged parents to remain alert to the dangers children face online.

“These depraved human beings, if convicted, will face the maximum penalty in prison—some, for life,” Bondi said during a press briefing held outside the White House. “If you are online targeting a child, you will not escape us. We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will prosecute you.”

Among those arrested was Jeremy Francis Klonskyv, a Minneapolis state trooper and former Army reservist, who was taken into custody for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while in uniform. In another case, Jose Alexis Valdez Sosa, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was arrested in Norfolk, Virginia, on charges of transporting a minor across state lines.

Officials also confirmed the arrest of Lynnwood Barnhill, a Metropolitan Police Department officer and convicted sex offender, for further offenses related to child exploitation while under supervised release.

FBI Director Patel emphasized the administration’s zero-tolerance approach to crimes against children. “There is no sanctuary for those who harm our children,” Patel said. “There is no place we will not look, and no cage we will not use, to bring these offenders to justice.”

Bondi also warned parents about the tactics predators use online, including posing as children and coercing minors into sharing explicit images, sometimes leading to blackmail. She stressed the importance of parental supervision over children’s online activity.

“An online predator can turn an instant message into an instant nightmare,” Bondi said. “They talk to your kids like they’re other children—but they’re not. They’re predators.”

She further noted a troubling rise in teen suicides, particularly among youth aged 14 to 17, which she attributed in part to online exploitation and manipulation by predators.

Bondi concluded by encouraging parents to engage with their children about internet safety and to monitor their online interactions closely.