Between April 6 and April 19, 2025, detectives from the Newport Beach Police Special Victims Unit participated in a nationwide ICAC Task Force operation aimed at identifying and arresting child predators who use the internet to exploit children.  The Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (LA ICAC) Task Force is comprised of 108 law enforcement partners from across southern California. The two-week operation, known as Operation Spring Cleaning, resulted in 265 arrests and the identification and rescue of 27 children across southern California.

The operation was carried out in two phases. The first phase focused on proactive undercover investigations across various social media platforms. The second phase involved serving numerous residential and arrest warrants across five counties, targeting individuals engaged in the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), online exploitation, and other crimes against children.

Twenty-seven vulnerable children were rescued from further harm. In total, 265 suspects, many of whom held positions of trust within their communities, were arrested and held accountable for their crimes. Several of those taken into custody held roles that placed them in direct contact with children or carried significant community trust. These arrests underscore the importance of vigilance and cross-agency collaboration in safeguarding children from individuals who use their trusted positions to exploit and harm the most vulnerable. In addition to enforcement efforts, approximately 1,000 parents and children received internet safety training, empowering families with tools and knowledge to stay safe online.

The community is encouraged to visit: www.Missingkids.org/NetSmartz for educational internet safety tips and activities. The community may also report potential child sexual abuse activity and have the harmful matter removed via the service “Take it Down,” hosted on the website www.takeitdown.ncmec.org. By reporting the potential child sexual abuse activity, you are giving a potential victim a voice when they are often silenced due to circumstance. “If you See Something, Say Something.”