Sting Operations (2023)
This page will be a limited list of the stings that happen throughout 2023. These “child sex stings” or some may call them predator stings or internet stings are happening all the time throughout the US. What they do NOT say during the media report is they are conducted on adult sites. This would be adult dating and hookup websites including Tinder, Grindr, Badoo, Skout, Skipthegames, Okcupid, meetme and similar. Law enforcement are fishing for sharks in a lake and not the ocean. Look out for these bait and switch scams otherwise you may end up in one of these stings. Generally over 1000 people are arrested and prosecuted in any given year in these operations. If I see a sting done right, following leads or done on a youth / non 18+ older websites it will be noted. Those operations are few and far between, they do occur but they won’t be arresting bunch of individuals.
- 2023 Jan: Hawaii Operation – Honolulu, HI. Hawaii seems to be ramping up these operations over the past few years. Thirteeen were arrested in this operation.
- 2023 Jan: Multi Week Sex Sting Operation – Phoenix, AZ. There were 17 suspects arrested over 3 weeks during big events in the Phoenix area. Apparently seeking minors on most likely adult websites. Humm. Always question these media reports when they don’t mention the websites.
- 2023 Feb: Operation Janus – North Texas. An extremely large operation resulted in the arrest of 59 people in a Child Internet Sex Sting operation. This operation ran for almost 4 weeks. They do not list the websites utilized.
- 2023 Mar: Online Sex Chat Sting – Chesterfield, VA. Arrested 9 men. “The suspects are accused of soliciting who they believed to be minors for sex via social media. When the suspects arrived at the designated meeting location, they were arrested.” It is unknown which websites were used, most likely the typical dating sites.
- 2023 Mar: Operation Secret Admirer – Northern California. There were 18 men arrested in this sting. “…investigators took to various social media sites and other online platforms posing as children 13 and younger to identify, contact and arrest anyone who was trying to target children for sex.” Again, details missing. They suggest they are making the community safe.
- 2023 Mar: Human Trafficking Sting – Pinellas County, FL. Another 18 men arrested in this sting. Renamed to Human Trafficking. It is all about the ruse – they don’t mention the websites for this sting.
- 2023 Apr: Indianapolis Child Sex Sting – Johnson County, IN. This is one of the biggest I’ve seen that wasn’t national – 32 people. They are just reeling them in via a 3 day sting; seems almost impossible. Perhaps they wish to expose how they are conducting these stings. Are they ethical?
- 2023 Jun: Undercover Child Predator Sting – Lost Vegas, NV. The city of sin is cracking down. Found a new way to earn some money back – 14 arrested. Which side is doing the luring?
- 2023 Jun: Operation 2541 – Stevens County, WA. There were 7 arrested in this sting (press release) which seems like a follow-up to the infamous Net Nanny. I love the comment someone posted on this page: Interesting that they won’t do anything about the predator I reported to them, that has been talking to my daughter. Said they don’t have the resources for that! I hear you and I hope those running these stings do to. Law Enforcement needs to go after the real predators rather than creating criminals. I wonder if 2541 is from the Bible, Matthew 25:41 – Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The question is, who is the cursed?
Total Arrested: 187