Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-led Nationwide Crackdown, Including Two in the Northern District of Oklahoma

TULSA, Okla. – The Department of Justice announces the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

“Over a five-day period in April, the Justice Department charged and the FBI arrested more than 200 offenders of child sexual abuse crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The success of this operation would not be possible without the collaborative effort of law enforcement across the United States.”

FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater stated, “Operation Restore Justice is not just about upholding the rule of law – it’s about standing up as a society for the safety of children and showing predators that we will not allow them to rob kids of their innocence.  The FBI is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure anyone involved in criminal behavior against a child is brought to justice.”

Two individuals in the Northern District of Oklahoma were arrested and indicted last week, during Operation Restore Justice.

• Jonathan Gross, 36, of Mounds, was arrested and indicted for Possession of Child Pornography; and
• Kaleb Smith, 23, of Bartlesville and a member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, was arrested and indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

Other online resources:
Violent Crimes Against Children
How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

Jonathan Gross’s case is being investigated by the FBI-Oklahoma City field office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert. Kaleb Smith’s case is being investigated by the FBI-Oklahoma City field office with the assistance of the Bartlesville Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.