72 charged in online child porn ring

Attorney General Eric Holder listens at left as Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano speaks at the Justice in Washington, Aug. 3, 2011, to discuss the results of the largest U.S. prosecution of an international criminal network organized to sexually exploit children. / AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Seventy-two people have been charged--of which 52 were arrested--in an worldwide online child pornography enterprise, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Department Janet Napolitano announced the unsealing of three indictments and one complaint charging 72 individuals in the online ring.

Holder spoke of Operation Delego, an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that was launched about two years ago, that resulted in the prosecution.

"This operation targeted hundreds of individuals, in countries around the world," Holder said, "for their alleged participation in 'Dreamboard' - a private, members-only online bulletin board that was created and operated to promote pedophilia, and to encourage the sexual abuse of very young children."

According to Holder, members of Dreamboard would trade graphic images and videos of adults sexually abusing children and create a vast library of images depicting the abuse.

Interested members were required to upload pornographic images of children 12 years and younger, and continued to do so in order to maintain membership. The more images submitted meant greater access to content.

"Some of the children featured in these images and videos were just infants," said Holder. " And, in many cases, the children being victimized were in obvious, and intentional, pain - even 'in distress and crying,' just as the rules for one area of the bulletin board mandated."

In court documents that were filed, the members of Dreamboard used aliases and screen names and were prompted to employ encryption programs in case of a search by law enforcement.

According to the Justice Department, Operation Delego is the largest prosecution of people involved in an online child exploitation enterprise. Thirteen of those charged have pleaded guilty and four people have received prison sentences of 20-30 years.

Efforts continue to identify and catch those defendants who are still at large, according to a Justice Department press release.

"I believe we're also sending a strong message to those who are willing to harm and exploit children, and who attempt to hide their activities from law enforcement," he said. "We will find you. We will stop you. And we will bring you to justice."

[Shazmafat]

What I find most disturbing about this article, apart from the pedophilia, is the way the perpetrators are described as a phantom menace of invisible, genderless, nameless 'individuals'.
We all know this is a group of everyday creepy men.
Because that's what most pedophiles are - everyday creeps. Fathers, uncles, teachers and so on.
I'm tired of the media protecting pedophiles as if they are a bunch of phantom "other" men, who have nothing to do with and are nothing alike the men that we all know.
Time for some real journalism, please. Look into the EPIDEMIC that is pedophilia and DEMAND REAL JUSTICE. Longer sentences for starters, then public naming and shaming!

[BetsyS472]

20-30- years BULLS&*# THEY NEED LIFE!!!!! WHAT THEY DID LAST A LIFETIME FOR THESE BABIES!!!! GIVE THEM LIFE IN OR DEATH!!!!

[LibbyGarden]

Why do folks assume that child victims of abuse are better off being taken away from their families? Read up on the subject. Have you any idea how many children are sexually and physically abused while in foster care and government-run institutions? There are documented cases where children who were not abused by their families were taken away, anyway, and put in foster homes where they were sexually and physically abused. Children also die at the hands of these sadistic perverts (male and female, by the way) who love nothing more than to take advantage of the system. If you really want to do some thing for these children, get out there and spread the word that this will not be tolerated either. Our foster care system has always been, and remains, an absolute joke for the children caught up in it. It's typical for them to be forced to move in with as many as 10 or more abusive families before they're finally "outed" at 18. And more often than not they end up homeless, dead, or in jail.

[advocate4you]

CORRECTION:(CBS News) Seventy-two people have been charged--of which 52 were arrested--in A worldwide online child pornography enterprise, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

[diamruby]

I wish them all the most painfull death prolonged for as long as possible. How sad that these IN-HUMANS are so desperate to fullfill their sick sexual desires that they enjoy the pain & suffering of babies & children. All involved should be shown no mercy. It is far past the time these "MENTALS" are destroyed, no mercy, no excuse. Stop the abuse of children by cults, religious cults, polyogmist; poverty, uneducated back-woods breeders. Children are at the mercy of all, helpless, unwanted, abused, a product of sex, they have no choice, no hope, only pain & suffering. We need more & better social workers, police & government help to stop this horrific abuse. Please be aware of your neighbors-friends-school children & teachers, etc. you are as guilty as the offender if you know of abuse & do not report it & get the child away from the harm. Our officals should always remove & prevent children from the abuse in their homes. Most times they should never be returned to the homes ever. All abusers should be sterilized so they are unable to produce more victims. Our officials need more money, better employees, better watchdogs to ensure the safety of all children in all homes including foster, adopted, mental, family. Let's hope there will be safe homes for all children involved & the ultimate punishment for the abusers. We as humans are in charge of our lives today & the future, we have the ability to create the best for all today & forever.

[jcnbma]

Your post is filled with words like "always", "never", "all", etc. Life isn't always that cut and dry. Further, you want more social workers, police, and government workers to stop the abuse? Get rid of the Republicans. They'll get rid of the people who investigate these crimes and hand the money to the wealthiest Americans.

[wolfmann4u-2009]

Holder and Napolitano should have the same attitude when it comes to protecting our country

[jcnbma]

wah, wah, waaaaaaah! If she provided you with 24/7 protection you'd still whine because you're a Republican.

[jake62890]

I am for free speech as much as the next guy online, but jesus christ. These acts are disciple, this goes much further then even the 'boylover.com' case did. makes me want to throw up that these children were treated as pieces of meat for these perverts own sexual disieres. and they KNREW what they were doing was wrong sick disgusting, which is why this board and information was encrypted.

[lucifersshadow]

Hats off to the people who did this work to get these predators off of the streets and put where they belong.

[longtree-2009]

why aren't these people executed? killing them will send more of a message to stop their practices than 20-30 years in prison. c'mon now, execute them.

[wardove]

As a vic. of this myself this also makes me sick how could we let this happen .It seems we are on the right track on stopping this. god bless people who stop this, thank you lord Its time to stop the corruption of the children of the world.