Protecting Your Kids From Sex Predators
The Oregon Department of Justice's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit investigates and prosecutes predators who use the internet to target children for sexual exploitation. Since 2005, more than 100 internet predators who targeted Oregon children or operated in Oregon have been convicted as a result of ICAC investigations. ICAC is the only program in Oregon that is equipped with the necessary resources to catch sex predators throughout the state.
The ICAC unit works in cooperation with more than 160 law enforcement agencies around Oregon including district attorneys, local law enforcement agencies, and regional task forces to investigate and prosecute some of Oregon's most dangerous sex offenders.
In one such case a Portland architect pled guilty to 10 counts of encouraging child sex abuse in a case that led to more than 85 investigations in 20 other states and 19 countries. Some 135 victims have been identified so far from the nearly 10,000 images and videos gathered during the investigation. At least two children have been rescued from situations of abuse or sexual exploitation as a result of our work in this case.
Protecting Oregon children is one of Attorney General Kroger's highest priorities. That is why he also immediately responded when the Oregon Supreme Court found that intentionally viewing online child pornography is not illegal if it was not intentionally purchased or downloaded. In 2011 Attorney General Kroger will seek legislative approval to update the law used to prosecute these cases and ensure that Oregon has the same tools that other states have to fight child exploitation.
"We recognize that the Internet has created an entirely new pathway for child sex predators to find and exploit their victims. The support that we have received from Attorney General Kroger and the Oregon Department of Justice has been an integral part of our effort to keep children safe."
- Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts
