Through “Operation Cross County,” the FBI has located and recovered five minors in the Valley believed to be victims of sex trafficking.
According to the FBI Phoenix Bureau, agents and police officers from Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix, and Tempe conducted investigations as part of the national operation called “Operation Cross County.”
The minors are believed to have been sexually exploited.
Additionally, as part of the operation, 31 subjects were arrested for attempting to have sexual contact with minors, and 1 alleged trafficker was taken into custody.
The FBI-led nationwide initiative, in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex and human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies conducted targeted operations to identify and apprehend offenders, dismantle criminal networks, and prevent further harm to victims. Those suspects identified will be subject to additional investigation for potential charges.