345 Arrested In Child Prostitution Raids

FBI Says 21 Children Rescued In 5-Day Cross-Country Roundup, Many Runaways

(CBS/AP)  Hundreds of people have been arrested and 21 children rescued in what the FBI is calling a five-day roundup of networks of pimps who force children into prostitution.

The Justice Department says it targeted 16 cities as part of its "Operation Cross Country" that caps off five years of similar stings nationwide.

Many of the children forced into prostitution are either runaways or what authorities call "thrown-aways" - kids whose families have shunned them. Officials say they are preyed upon by organized networks of pimps who lure them in with shelter or drugs, then often beat, starve or otherwise abuse them until the children agree to work the streets.

"We together have no higher calling than to protect our children and to safeguard their innocence," FBI Director Robert Mueller said Wednesday. "Yet the sex trafficking of children remains one of the most violent and unforgivable crimes in this country."

In all, authorities arrested 345 people - including 290 adult prostitutes - during the operation that ended this week. Since 2003, 308 pimps and hookers have been convicted in state and federal courts of forcing youngsters into prostitution, and 433 child victims have been rescued, Mueller said.

The cities targeted in this week's sting are: Atlanta; Boston; Dallas; Detroit; Houston; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Miami; Montgomery County, Md.; Oakland, Calif.; Phoenix; Reno, Nev.; Sacramento, Calif.; Tampa; Toledo, Ohio and Washington.

The problem of child prostitution has taken on a new urgency in recent years with the growth of online networks where pimps advertise the youngsters to clients. The FBI generally investigates child prostitution cases that cross state lines.

The cases aren't easy to convict.

In April 2006, for example, charges against a Nevada man resulted in a hung jury after his 14-year-old victim refused to testify against him. Months later, however, a second jury found Juan Rico Doss of Reno, Nev., guilty of forcing two girls - ages 14 and 16 - to sell sex in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and Oakland.

A University of Pennsylvania study estimates nearly 300,000 children in the United States are at risk of being sexually exploited for commercial uses - "most of them runaways or thrown-aways," said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"These kids are victims. This is 21st century slavery," Allen said. "They lack the ability to walk away."

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court declared Wednesday that executions are too severe a punishment for child rape, despite the "years of long anguish" for victims, in a ruling that restricts the death penalty to murder and crimes against the state.

The court's 5-4 decision struck down a Louisiana law that allows capital punishment for people convicted of raping children under 12. It spares the only people in the U.S. under sentence of death for that crime - two Louisiana men convicted of raping girls 5 and 8.

[Gary Kempf]

rafterman1

Point made.

[Gary Kempf]

rafterman1

If these laws are so well enforced, why is still going on????

[docpeter-2009]

And to think that just yesterday the Supreme Court said the death penalty was not an appropriate punishment for child raoists.

[tootall10142]

the last child rapist we had here fell down in the shower fourteen times in one day died from head injuries.the warden here in this state keeps the shovels sharp and the press out of our prisons

[luvny-2009]

OMG these poor little girls. I know there are some boys and women involved but the majority of offenders are men. Why can some one explain are they like that.

[Gary Kempf]

290 adults arrested,
They are in all probability already back on the street. Forcing new found children into prostitution, They are laughing at the legal system. If prosecuted, they are back on the street in a year or so. After the Supreme Court of idiots ruling yesterday. What do they have to fear? The United States can''t/won''t create laws to protect its children from molesters, rapist, and forced prostitution.

HOW TRUELY PATHEDIC!!!!

[hunterdon6]

Hang em all!

[apprxam]

345 arrest and not a shot fired.

[longduck69]

All you pedophiles out there...convert to Islam and move to Saudi Arabia. I just read on FOX news that "Saudi Marriage Official Says 1-Year-Old Brides OK." There you have it...*** with under aged girls. You can have up to 4 wives.

[terrorislami]

AND THE FIVE DEMONIC-RAT LIBERAL LEFT LEANING UNSUPREME COURT INJUSTICES

JUST MADE SURE THEY WILL NOT GET THE DEATH PENALTY,,,

remmember that when you vote in november,,,

High Court Spares Lives Of Child Rapists
In 5-4 Vote, Justices Strike Down Louisiana Law; Court Also Reduces Exxon Valdez Settlement
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/25/supremecourt/main4207513.shtml#ccmm