Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, speaks during a news conference at FBI headquarters in Washington, Monday, July 29, 2013, about “Operation Cross Country.” The FBI says the operation rescued 105 children who were forced into prostitution in the US and arrested 150 people it described as pimps and others in a series of raids in 76 American cities. AP PHOTO/EVAN VUCCI
WASHINGTON—A sting focused on underage prostitution has freed 105 sexually abused youths and netted 150 pimps, the FBI announced Monday.
The extensive, three-day sweep took place in 76 US cities in conjunction with local, state and federal law enforcement, as well as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), it said in a statement.
Most of the freed youths are aged 13 to 16, said Ronald Hosko, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.
“Our goal is that child trafficking is openly discussed,” he told reporters.
“We are trying to take this crime out of the shadows and put a spotlight on it… to put them (the children) out of the cycle.”
NCMEC CEO John Ryan said the sting, dubbed Operation Cross Country, “demonstrates just how many of America’s children are being sold for sex every day, many on the Internet.”