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CyberTipline® Success Stories
Multiple Cybertips Lead to Arrest of Child Pornography Suspect
Between January and August 2011, the National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children (NCMEC) received five reports on its CyberTipline from two Electronic
Service Providers (ESPs) regarding incidents of possible child pornography
uploaded to their servers. In accordance with federal law, the ESPs provided
incident information, including an e-mail address, screen name and an
Internet Protocol (IP) address.
Analysts in NCMEC’s Exploited Children Division looked up the
reported IP address and discovered key geographic information, leading
them to believe the suspect may live in Fremont, NE. They then conducted
online searches of the suspect’s e-mail address and located a possible
name, age and images of an adult male. Locations detailed on the profiles
appeared to substantiate the Fremont location. Analysts then used a public
records database to corroborate the information they obtained through
online searches. Their search provided them with a possible home address
in Fremont. All of the CyberTipline reports were forwarded to the Nebraska
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, an OJJDP-funded program,
operated out of the Nebraska State Patrol.
Investigators from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office obtained
the CyberTipline reports from the ICAC Task Force and secured a search
a warrant for the suspect’s home. When officers responded to the
home in June of 2011, they found a computer containing numerous images
of boys engaged in sexual acts. The suspect’s hard drive was also
confiscated for further analysis.
In February of 2012, the 20-year-old suspect was arrested and charged
with four counts of possession of visual depiction of sexually explicit
conduct.
Undercover Investigation Leads to the Arrest of Oregon Man
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) operates
the CyberTipline, which serves as the nation’s 9-1-1 for crimes
against children on the Internet. On May 31, 2011, as required by law,
an Electronic Service Provider (ESP) reported to the CyberTipline
that apparent child pornography may have been uploaded to its server.
In addition to the images, the registered ESP turned
over important information, including an e-mail address, a screen name
and an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
Using the IP address, an analyst with NCMEC’s Exploited Children
Division was able to find a possible connection to Oregon. The e-mail
address then led the analyst to more potential clues in a profile: a
first and last name and two cities in Oregon. The analyst kept searching
until he found a second profile with even more identifying information.
Both profiles contained photographs of an adult male, who could be the
suspect. The analyst quickly forwarded all this information to the Oregon
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, which operates out
of Oregon’s Department of Justice.
The Oregon ICAC launched an investigation, using one of its investigators
to pose online as a 14-year-old girl. For two months, the undercover
officer chatted online with the suspect. Then on Dec. 8, 2011, the suspect
offered to send a taxi to pick up the 14-year-old and bring her to his
apartment to engage in sexual acts. Another undercover officer posed
as the cab driver and knocked on the suspect’s door. After the
suspect paid the undercover officer for the “services,” a
tactical team took the suspect into custody and searched his residence.
According to investigators, the suspect disclosed that he had more than
15,000 videos and 10,000 photos containing child pornography on two computers
and a hard drive.
The man was charged with 10 counts of encouraging child sexual abuse
and one count of luring a minor, with a possibility of more charges after
the forensic search of his computers has been completed. The suspect
is currently in custody and awaiting trial.
Undercover Investigation Leads to the Arrest of Camp Counselor
On September 6, 2011, the CyberTipline was contacted by the distraught
mother of a 15-year-old girl in Florida. The mother reported that her
daughter and her 29-year-old camp counselor had been chatting online.
She described their interactions as sexual in nature and was alarmed
to find out that the counselor had exposed himself to her child via webcam
on multiple occasions. The reporting person was able to provide the reported
suspect’s name and additional identifying information, including
a possible occupation as a firefighter.
An Analyst with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's
Exploited Children Division (ECD) quickly began conducting a series of
searches and located various online profiles, photos, and a potential
match in a public records database. The analyst provided the CyberTipline
report and search results to the OJJDP-funded Internet Crimes Against
Children (ICAC) Task Forces in Southern and Central Florida based on
the reported suspect’s and child’s locations.
The ICACs, in turn, engaged the Orange County Sheriff’s Department
for assistance. The Orange County investigators agreed to assume the
online identity of the child in an undercover investigation. During subsequent
online chats with the “child,” the reported suspect not only
exposed himself to investigators, but later agreed to meet her in October,
on a day he believed her mother would be out of town.
On October 26, 2011, the suspect drove from Martin County, Florida to
Orange County, where undercover officers arrested him for exposing himself
to a minor. Law enforcement reports that he claimed he drove to see the
child in order to “hug her” and tell her they should discontinue
their contact. He also reportedly admitted to exposing himself to her.
Additional charges may be filed following a forensic examination of the
suspect’s computer.
Child Victim Rescued from Long-Term Abuse at the Hands of Trusted
Family Member
On August 26, 2011, the CyberTipline received a report from a concerned
mother that her 11-year-old daughter was being sexually victimized by
one of the child’s relatives. She reported that she became suspicious
when she read emails from the suspect to the child, asking her if anything
he was doing was making her “uncomfortable” or “angry.” The
child’s mother also intercepted pronographic images, of himself
and other children, the suspect sent the child. When questioned by her
mother, the child disclosed that the abuse started when she was five
years old and included the suspect exposing himself to the child and
touching her inappropriately.
An analyst with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's
Exploited Children Division (ECD) was immediately on the phone with the
mother to gather additional information. The analyst learned that the
reported suspect had made threats to individuals he perceived as interfering
in their relationship and had purchased a webcam for the child so they
could communicate more frequently. After culling additional information
about the suspect's criminal history, work, interests, and online profiles
through a series of Internet and public database searches, the analyst
coordinated the exchange of information between NCMEC and the OJJDP-funded
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces out of the South
Carolina Office of the Attorney General and the North Carolina Bureau
of Investigations.
Both ICACs immediately launched an investigation, which they coordinated
with local law enforcement in each state. One week to the day after they
received the CyberTipline report, personnel from the South Carolina ICAC
and the Richland County Sheriff's Office had the suspect in custody.
Investigators worked hard to gain the child's trust and develop a rapport
with her; over time, she began to reach out to them to tell them more
of her story. At this point, investigators are still determining the
full extent of the abuse.
The suspect has been charged with 32 Counts of Dissemination of Harmful
Materials to a Minor . The digital evidence seized from his home will
undergo forensic examination, which may lead to additional charges.
Undercover Investigation Leads to Arrest of Online Enticement
Suspect
On July 27, 2011, the CyberTipline received a complaint from a concerned
citizen, who reported an adult user attempting to solicit sex from girls
between the ages of 12 and 15 on a popular file hosting site.
Using the email address provided by the reporting person, an analyst
with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's Exploited
Children Division (ECD) located additional postings by the suspect where
he expressed interest in looking at young girls in various public places
and requested that like-minded parents contact him and arrange times
for him to meet their daughters. Based on references in the postings
to the San Francisco area, the analyst immediately notified the Silicon
Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, an OJJDP-funded
program, out of the San Jose Police Department.
An ICAC investigator immediately launched an undercover operation and
began chatting with the suspect while posing as the single parent of
a 13-year-old girl. During the month-long conversation, the investigator
introduced his “daughter” to the suspect, and the conversations
quickly turned sexual in nature. Eventually, the suspect and “child” made
plans at a specific time and place to meet for sex.
Equipped with this information, the investigator obtained search warrants
for the suspect’s various email accounts and determined he had
both sent and received multiple images of child pornography. On September
15, 2011, members of the Silicon Valley ICAC executed a search warrant
on the suspect’s residence, where they located and seized additional
digital evidence. Although the suspect was not home at the time, he was
soon located at a nearby hospital, where his wife was in the process
of giving birth to their daughter.
The suspect is currently facing charges of soliciting a minor child
for sex, arranging with a minor child for sex, grooming a minor child
for sex, and possession of child pornography.
Multiple Cybertips Lead to Arrest of Suspect Posting Child Pornography
Online
On June 9, 2009, the CyberTipline received
a complaint from a concerned citizen, who reported that he had been in
contact with an adult male making sexually suggestive comments about underage
females. During their three-hour chat session, the suspect stated that
he “preferred” nine to 15-year-old girls. The reporting person
provided the full chat log, along with crucial information about the suspect,
including his full name, age, location, and email address.
Through various internet searches, an analyst with the National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children's Exploited Children Division (ECD) located two online profiles for
the suspect, as well as a public database record match that helped confirm his
identity and generated an address in North Augusta, South Carolina. The analyst
immediately notified the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
Task Force, an OJJDP-funded program, out of the Office of the Attorney General.
Investigators with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) quickly
initiated an investigation, but did not have enough evidence to file charges
at that time.
On November 4, 2010, a registered Electronic Service Provider (ESP) alerted the
CyberTipline to a user who had uploaded sexually explicit images of underage
females to their service. Based on the provided Internet Protocol (IP) address,
the report was forwarded to SLED investigators, who linked it to the initial
report. Just one month later, yet another concerned citizen made a report to
the CyberTipline regarding an adult male who was posing as a young girl online.
She provided several different online aliases used by the suspect, as well other
identifying information that an ECD analyst was able to match to the 2009 report.
The additional reports were supplied to investigators, who were thrilled and
eager to move the case forward.
Representatives from SLED and the Edgefield County Sheriff's office visited the
suspect at his residence on August 30, 2011. When questioned as to why he thought
they were there, he replied that he had been chatting online with a fourteen-year-old
female. Armed with this information, investigators obtained a search warrant
and seized the suspect’s computer. Following a forensic examination of
the computer, law enforcement arrested the 32-year-old suspect and charged him
with five counts of distributing, transporting and exhibiting, receiving, selling,
purchasing, exchanging, or soliciting materials that contain a visual representation
of minors engaged in sexual activity. If found guilty of the charges, the suspect
faces up to ten years in prison and a lifetime of supervised probation.
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