(Dave Mason, The Center Square) A large number of protesters continued to march Wednesday evening on downtown Los Angeles streets, violating the second night of a 10-hour curfew.
The defiance came following a day of marches and hundreds of demonstrators gathering in Grand Park, the 12-acre open green space that has the 27-story-high Los Angeles City Hall as its dramatic backdrop. That’s where Los Angeles Police Department officers, including many on horseback, charged into the crowd with rods late Wednesday afternoon and evening to clear the park, according to media reports. Before that happened, some protesters were seen with lit fireworks, which has been what demonstrators threw at police during the weekend’s riots.
Police reportedly fired crowd control projectiles.
Earlier, the protests gained momentum with a march that reached the Spring Street side of Los Angeles City Hall around 6 p.m. local time, according to an LAPD post on X. Police also said around the same time that protesters had gathered at Pershing Square, a Los Angeles park, and on Alameda Street between Aliso and Temple streets.
— LAPD Central Division (@LAPDCentral) June 12, 2025
Police later reported on X that the large gathering at Grand Park separated into various groups blocking downtown streets. Minutes after the curfew started at 8 p.m., protesters were seen on live TV newscasts. About 20 minutes later, a crowd on First and Hill streets were taken into custody, according to CBS News Los Angeles, whose helicopter was overhead.
The nightly curfew is for a one-square-mile downtown area that’s between freeways. The city of Los Angeles consists of more than 500 square miles.
Wednesday’s protests followed a day of news involving the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Homeland Security confirmed that its unmarked cars rammed into a moving white Mercedes sedan for an arrest on Whittier Boulevard in the L.A. neighborhood of Boyle Heights.
Agents drew their guns and used tear gas before the driver left the Mercedes, witnesses said, according to CBS News Los Angeles. One witness said the passenger in the Mercedes had two babies with her.
Homeland Security explained the arrest in a post on X.
This was no hit and run. This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who punched a CBP officer. When Homeland Security Investigations tried to arrest Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho for the assault, he attempted to flee. He was ultimately arrested and taken into custody.
“This was no hit and run. This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who punched a CBP officer,” Homeland Security said, referring to Customs and Border Protection. “When Homeland Security Investigations tried to arrest Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho for the assault, he attempted to flee. He was ultimately arrested and taken into custody.”
Homeland Security said its officers have faced a 433% increase in assaults against them as they “put their lives on the line” to arrest murderers, rapists and gang members.
And on Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided businesses and churches in the nearby city of Downey, which resulted in several arrests and outrage expressed by local officials and pastors, according to media reports.
(Money Metals News Service) In the latest Money Metals Midweek Memo, host Mike Maharrey tackles two central themes roiling markets and politics: silver’s long-awaited breakout and the persistent failure of Congress to rein in spending, despite the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Maharrey offers listeners both market insight and fiscal reality checks in this powerful June 2025 episode.
Silver’s Long-Awaited Breakout Begins
Silver is finally showing signs of life after years of lagging behind gold. The metal kicked off 2024 at $23.99 per ounce and closed the year at $28.91—a solid 20.5% gain. But the real story is unfolding in 2025.
In the first half of the year, silver has soared more than 50%. It recently broke through the psychologically and technically significant $35 resistance level, touching as high as $36.49. This marks the first time silver has hit those levels since 2011, when it briefly flirted with its all-time high near $50 per ounce.
While it has dipped slightly due to some profit-taking, silver has held firm above $36. That sustained strength above resistance is an encouraging signal that this rally may have legs. According to host Mike Maharrey, this could be the breakout investors have been waiting on for years.
Gold-Silver Ratio Signals a Shift
The gold-silver ratio offers another compelling piece of the puzzle. This ratio measures how many ounces of silver it takes to buy one ounce of gold. Historically, the ratio has hovered between 50:1 and 60:1. In recent years, however, it has climbed to extreme highs.
In 2024 and early 2025, the ratio sat in the 80s and even exceeded 100:1, peaking at 103:1 in April. That’s an enormous spread by historical standards and typically signals that silver is deeply undervalued.
Whenever the gold-silver ratio reaches these wide levels, it tends to snap back toward the historical mean—and it does so quickly. Past silver bull runs, including those in the 1980s and 2011, followed the same pattern. Gold moves first. Silver catches up explosively.
Maharrey believes we may be in the early innings of that exact scenario now.
Secular Cup and Handle Pattern Points to $50
Technical analysts are taking notice. A distinctive “cup and handle” pattern has emerged on silver’s long-term chart. The “cup” is formed by silver’s twin peaks of $50 per ounce in 1980 and again in 2011. Prices fell after each high but returned to the same level over a multi-decade span.
The “handle,” which is forming now, suggests a consolidation period before a major breakout. This chart pattern is a classic technical indicator that often precedes large price movements. The fact that it spans more than 40 years makes it especially powerful.
A similar long-term pattern appeared on gold’s chart before its 2023 breakout to new all-time highs. If silver follows the same path, a retest of the $50 level is not only possible—it may be imminent.
Deficits, Demand, and Supply Crunch Support the Rally
The fundamentals reinforce what the charts are signaling. Industrial demand for silver hit its fourth consecutive all-time high in 2024. At the same time, mine supply has remained flat.
The result? A staggering supply deficit.
Last year alone, the silver market experienced a 148.9 million ounce shortfall. Over the past four years, cumulative deficits have totaled 678 million ounces—equivalent to roughly ten months of global mine production at current rates.
This means that industrial users and investors are tapping into above-ground inventories to meet demand. With new supply failing to keep pace, the basic laws of economics suggest only one outcome: higher prices.
Demand is surging in key sectors, including solar energy, electronics, and electric vehicles. These aren’t short-term trends. They represent structural shifts that will likely continue to push silver demand higher for years to come.
Mainstream Analysts Turn Bullish
This isn’t just a niche view held by precious metals enthusiasts. Mainstream financial analysts and media outlets are now openly discussing the possibility of record silver prices.
Brien Lundin, editor of the Gold Newsletter, has projected that silver could hit $50 by the end of 2025. Other analysts believe we could see that milestone early in 2026.
Investor sentiment, which has long favored gold, is finally beginning to shift toward silver. Maharrey, who has held silver through its ups and downs, believes the next leg higher may already be underway. He advises investors to consider adding silver to their portfolios before prices move even higher.
The Big Beautiful Bill: A Fiscal Shell Game
Shifting from metals to fiscal policy, Maharrey delivers a harsh critique of the newly proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Despite the poetic name, the 142-page legislation is no masterpiece.
The bill includes permanent extensions of the 2016 tax cuts, along with some modest spending trims and new budget outlays. But according to the Congressional Budget Office, it would add $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years.
While supporters tout the bill as a down payment on fiscal responsibility, Maharrey sees it as more of the same: political theater that avoids confronting the real problem—overspending.
Why Spending Cuts Are Politically Impossible
Maharrey points out a fundamental truth about U.S. politics: cutting government spending is easy to talk about, but nearly impossible to do. Even if Congress eliminated every dollar of discretionary spending—which makes up only 27% of the federal budget—it wouldn’t fix the deficit.
The bulk of federal outlays go to entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. These programs are politically untouchable because they benefit voting blocs that are powerful and vocal, especially older Americans.
Maharrey argues that political incentives are at the heart of the issue. Elected officials focus on short-term approval and reelection, not long-term sustainability. No one wants to anger constituents by cutting their benefits, even if doing so would help fix the nation’s long-term fiscal trajectory.
The Myth That Tax Cuts Pay for Themselves
Supporters of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act claim that tax cuts will lead to enough economic growth to offset the increase in deficits. Maharrey is unconvinced, citing decades of historical data that tell a different story.
He walks through the record:
The Reagan tax cuts of the 1980s did stimulate growth, but federal revenue as a percentage of GDP fell. The budget deficit grew from $79 billion in 1981 to $153 billion in 1989.
George W. Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 also led to modest growth, but the federal surplus turned into a $458 billion deficit by 2008. The debt-to-GDP ratio rose from 34% to 39% during his presidency.
The Trump tax cuts in 2016 lowered the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, but revenues came in $430 billion below projections in 2018 and 2019. The U.S. was already running a $1 trillion deficit before the COVID pandemic even began.
In each case, tax cuts failed to pay for themselves because spending kept rising faster than revenue. Maharrey argues that these policies ignore a basic principle: the U.S. doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending addiction.
The Debt Elephant in the Room
The U.S. national debt now exceeds $36 trillion. Every president since Herbert Hoover has left office with more debt than when he entered. Yet few in Congress seem serious about reversing this trend.
Maharrey warns that the consequences are mounting. As deficits grow, the government becomes increasingly dependent on the Federal Reserve to finance its debt through bond purchases—a process that is inherently inflationary.
The risks to the bond market, inflation outlook, and dollar stability are rising. When investors lose confidence in the government’s ability to service its debt without printing more money, they look for alternatives.
That’s where gold and silver come in.
Silver Still Offers a Strategic Entry Point
Despite its strong start to the year, silver remains well below its inflation-adjusted all-time high. At around $36 per ounce, it still offers significant upside potential if, as many analysts expect, prices move toward or beyond $50.
Maharrey encourages investors to view any dips in price as opportunities. If silver does reach $50 by year-end, today’s price could represent a highly attractive entry point. The technicals, fundamentals, and sentiment are all lining up—and for those concerned about fiscal mismanagement, silver offers not just growth potential, but protection.
(Headline USA) David Hogg said Wednesday he will not fight to hold onto his leadership role in the Democratic National Committee after igniting a firestorm over his push to target long-serving Democrats in safe congressional seats.
Hogg announced his retreat hours after the DNC removed him and another officer, Pennsylvania state lawmaker Malcolm Kenyatta, from their vice chair roles, saying the February elections they won did not follow the party’s rules. Hogg said he will not run in the redo elections to be held over the weekend.
With dejected Democrats looking for a path back to relevance after a disastrous 2024 election, Hogg said earlier this year that he plans to raise millions of dollars through a political action committee unaffiliated with the DNC called Leaders We Deserve to support young progressives against party stalwarts.
He says the party needs a shake-up to bring in leaders who will more aggressively confront Trump and connect with younger voters and offer an inspiring new vision for a party voters are rejecting. The push rankled many Democrats, who said DNC officers should be focused on defeating Republicans, not sowing division among Democrats.
Hogg on Wednesday decried “a serious lack of vision from Democratic leaders, too many of them asleep at the wheel,” noting three Democratic House members have died this year after being reelected in November, leaving the party shorthanded in Washington.
The culture on Capitol Hill rewards seniority and protects complacency, he said in a statement announcing his decision to walk away from his DNC role.
“If there is anything activism or history teaches us it’s that comfortable people, especially comfortable people with power, do not change,” Hogg said. “In this moment of crisis, comfort is not an option.”
In April, DNC Chair Ken Martin proposed bylaw changes to require party officers to remain neutral in all Democratic primaries. Party neutrality is crucial to maintaining the confidence of voters, he argued, pointing to the bitter feud that emerged after supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign believed he was stymied by party insiders putting their thumb on the scale in favor of Hillary Rodham Clinton, who won the nomination but went on to lose the general election to Donald Trump.
(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday begged residents to help the city clean up as anti-ICE rioters left downtown stained by graffiti and vandalism. She urged them to act fast, citing the looming 2026 World Cup.
“The extensive vandalism downtown, especially of the graffiti that is just blanketing a number of blocks, has been extensive. We are just one year away from the World Cup,” Bass said at a press conference.
“This is about beautifying our city and bringing our city together, and so I am calling on business leaders, community leaders, faith leaders to come together downtown in the next few days to talk about how we are going to clean up the city,” she added.
Instead of holding the rioters accountable, Bass called on local businesses and constituents to help scrub the streets. She continued, “Obviously, city workers are already out there removing the graffiti, but this is so extensive, it’s going to take community-wide involvement.”
Karen Bass says the city is covered in graffiti—far more than just a few blocks.
The vandalism is so extensive, she says the city won’t be ready to host the World Cup, and she’s calling all hands on deck—including non-city employees and the public—to clean up the graffiti.… pic.twitter.com/QDTextGHtI
The mayor’s pleas came just a day after she issued an emergency declaration in response to what Democrats call “peaceful” protests. Her order imposed a nightly curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. as looting, vandalism and general unrest escalated.
Bass’s latest scramble followed her attempt to paper over Los Angeles’s crime-ridden image ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Back in April, she launched “Shine LA,” a cleanup initiative involving mulching, tree maintenance, litter pickup and community gardening.
Kicked off another Shine LA this morning — this time in Koreatown!
This is Angelenos coming together for the love of their city and pride in their neighborhoods.
So much good energy today as we also uplift and honor the voices, stories and contributions of our Asian American,… pic.twitter.com/dwXhs167kV
“We had launched a program called Shine LA a couple of months ago in preparation for the World Cup, and now we are called on to direct that city-wide,” she warned on Tuesday. “We need people from all over the city to come to downtown and to help with this effort.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off on June 12, 2026.
(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson claimed on Wednesday that the Trump administration resembles what the U.S. would look like if the Confederacy had won the Civil War.
Johnson made the comparison at a Wednesday press conference when asked about residents allegedly being “afraid” to step outside amid looming immigration enforcement.
“Look, I remember a few standups ago, when I talked about what terrorism looks like, this is it,” Johnson said. “There should be no question to what our country would look like had the Confederacy won. We’re seeing it on full display and there’s no art form in this.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says that America under President Trump is “what our country would look like if the Confederacy won.”
If the Confederacy had won then Johnson wouldn’t have the right to vote.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) June 11, 2025
The Civil War analogy wasn’t the only thing Johnson appeared to fumble. The mayor also claimed there are no “checks and balances” in the country.
“This is literally just using the power of the federal apparatus to insert its will on whomever… Right now, in our country, there’s no check and balance [sic]; it doesn’t exist right now,” Johnson claimed.
Johnson’s remarks ignore the political reality of the 2024 presidential election. Trump may face little opposition from Congress as both chambers are now controlled by Republicans. Democrats, in contrast, were reduced to minority status after Trump’s landslide victory.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune back Trump’s agenda. The courts, however, have repeatedly blocked his administration’s actions with injunctions, at times drawing the ire of the Supreme Court.
Johnson accused House Speaker Mike Johnson of cowardice, claiming he “won’t even raise his voice.”
“These individuals are cowards. They are hypocrites. They’re dangerous. There’s one branch of government, right now… He has taken over the courts… the, the, the… the Congress says nothing.”
(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned on Wednesday that Iran would hit US bases in the region in response to a “conflict being imposed” on Tehran.
Nasirzadeh made the comments with the backdrop of uncertainty over the nuclear talks between the US and Iran and President Trump’s threats to bomb Iran if an agreement isn’t reached.
“Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don’t come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us … all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” Nasirzadeh said, according to The Cradle.
Iran has advanced ballistic missiles, and an Iranian counterattack on US bases in the region could result in thousands of US casualties. Earlier this year, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said there are 50,000 American troops at 10 bases within reach of Iran’s missiles.
Gen. Michael Kurilla, the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), told Congress this week that he has presented President Trump with options for attacking Iran if talks fail. “I have provided the secretary of defense and the president a wide range of options,” he said.
Kurilla replied in the affirmative when Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) asked if CENTCOM was prepared to hit Iran with “overwhelming force” to prevent a “nuclear-armed Iran.” The US has been threatening to bomb Iran over its nuclear program, even though US intelligence agencies have recently reaffirmed that there is no evidence Tehran is building a nuclear weapon.
(José Niño, Headline USA) A US Navy lawyer has been exposed for allegedly threatening federal agents in a now-deleted social media outburst.
Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer Benjamin France, known online as “Benny,” has ignited controversy after allegedly threatening on social media to “hunt down every J6 and ICE agent.”
Twitter user Sam Shoemate, the COO of American First advocacy organization Our Country Our Choice, noted that France “proudly shared his taking of the oath to join the US Navy JAG Corps last year on his LinkedIn account.”
Benny proudly shared his taking of the oath to join the US Navy JAG Corps last year on his LinkedIn account. 2/6 pic.twitter.com/s82oLMZKaW
According to Shoemate’s widely circulated Twitter thread, “Benny made a comment threatening to ‘hunt down every J6 and ICE agent’ three days ago on X,” referencing both participants in the January 6 storming of the Capitol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The thread continued: “Why should we care that Benny is threatening federal agents? Because Benny is an active duty Navy JAG Officer.”
The situation escalated when France was identified and confronted by other users, leading him to delete his account in an apparent attempt to distance himself from the controversy. As Shoemate noted, “Yesterday, Benny got into a scuffle with the wrong one, and he quickly found out he wasn’t as anonymous as he thought. As soon as he was identified and called out in the comments, he nuked his account.” Despite his efforts, screenshots of his posts were widely shared, ensuring the incident remained in the public eye.
France’s threatening remarks were not limited to federal agents. The Twitter thread also revealed that France directed comments at Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, adding another layer of concern given his position as a military officer. “Normally I wouldn’t care about comments like this, but since Benny decided to threaten federal agents, I’ll post his comments directed at @SecDef as an added bonus,” Shoemate wrote.
Normally I wouldn't care about comments like this, but since Benny decided to threaten federal agents, I'll post his comments directed at @SecDef as an added bonus. 5/6 pic.twitter.com/8UGUOQ5qKy
The thread concluded by revealing that France’s chain of command had been notified of the incident, stating: “Benny’s chain of command has been notified. However, in case you’d like to follow up, this should help. This kind of threatening behavior towards agents, who are already under fire, simply cannot be allowed, especially from an officer whose job is to provide legal advice to his command and holds sway over policy that affects potentially thousands of sailors.”
Benny's chain of command has been notified. However, in case you'd like to follow up, this should help.
This kind of threatening behavior towards agents, who are already under fire, simply cannot be allowed, especially from an officer whose job is to provide legal advice to his… pic.twitter.com/lMk37iCEba
The case has drawn attention not only because of the nature of the threats but also due to France’s role as a JAG officer, a position that demands the highest standards of integrity and impartiality. The JAG Corps is tasked with providing independent, neutral, and fact-based legal advice to military commanders, and its members are expected to serve as exemplars of military discipline.
A request for comment was sent to the Navy JAG Corps Communication Director regarding this incident. No response had been received as of this publication. France, who’s also deleted his LinkedIn account, could not be reached for comment.
The incident comes amid broader concerns about the politicization and independence of the JAG Corps, following the recent firings of top uniformed lawyers by Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of an effort to bring more of a “warfighter” ethos to the U.S. military.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
(Brett Rowland, The Center Square) President Donald Trump said Wednesday that U.S. talks with China in London resulted in a tentative deal that still needs China’s President Xi Jinping’s final approval.
The president announced the deal in an all-caps post on Truth Social.
“FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA. LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!).”
Tariffs will stay at levels agreed to in the deal struck in Geneva last month, an administration official told the Wall Street Journal. In his post, Trump said, “WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%.” That’s a reference to the 30% tariffs applied in Trump’s second term, added to tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term, the Journal reported.
The framework comes after a fresh bout of tensions with China emerged this month after the deal in Geneva.
Trump sent Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to London for the meeting with representatives from China on Monday and Tuesday.
The meetings in London came after Trump accused China of failing to uphold the bargain the two countries reached in Geneva.
In May, the two countries agreed to a 90-day deal to reduce high tariffs. Both countries agreed to slash tariffs that had been so high that nearly all trade between the two nations stopped. The U.S. reduced its tariffs on China from 145% to 30% while the two nations continued to talk. China cut its levies on U.S. imports from 125% to 10%.
On Wednesday, Bessent said China needs the U.S.
“China has a singular opportunity to stabilize its economy by shifting away from excess production towards greater consumption,” he told the House Ways and Means Committee. “But the country needs to be a reliable partner in trade negotiations. If China will course-correct by upholding its end of the initial trade agreement we outlined in Geneva last month, then a big, beautiful rebalancing of the world’s two largest economies is possible.”
Economists, businesses and some publicly traded companies have warned that tariffs could raise prices on a wide range of consumer products.
Trump has said he wants to use tariffs to restore manufacturing jobs lost to lower-wage countries in decades past, shift the tax burden away from U.S. families, and pay down the national debt.
A tariff is a tax on imported goods paid by the person or company that imports the goods. The importer can absorb the cost of the tariffs or try to pass the cost on to consumers through higher prices.
(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) As riots continue to paralyze parts of downtown Los Angeles, Sen. Josh Hawley is taking steps to investigate the role of an immigrant rights organization.
The Missouri Republican senator sent a letter to Angelica Salas, executive director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, regarding the organization’s “alleged role in financing and materially supporting the coordinated protests and riots” in Los Angeles.
Hawley says there is some evidence pointing the finger at the organization. He said their involvement could be criminal.
“Credible reporting now suggests that your organization has provided logistical support and financial resources to individuals engaged in these disruptive actions,” Hawley wrote. “Let me be clear: bankrolling civil unrest is not protected speech. It is aiding and abetting criminal conduct. Accordingly, you must immediately cease and desist any further involvement in the organization, funding, or promotion of these unlawful activities.”
The senator is requesting the organization preserve a number of records, starting Nov. 5 to present.
Those records include all communications related to “protest planning, coordination, or funding”; financial records related to the demonstrations; third-party contracts or vendor agreements, “including any arrangements with event organizations”; grant applications; travel and lodging records for “individuals or groups supported or reimbursed” related to protests; media strategies; and donor information.
Hawley concluded by warning that a “failure to comply” will result in further action, including “potential referral for criminal investigation.”
(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) An FBI Dallas-led multiagency law enforcement operation spanning multiple counties in north Texas targeting online sexual predators resulted in hundreds being arrested.
The operation was conducted as FBI Director Kash Patel warned last month that federal agents would “hunt down” online child sexual predators.
The priority of the Justice Department and FBI is “our children,” Patel said. “If you harm our children, you will be given no sanctuary. There is no place we will not come to hunt you down. There is no place we will not look for you, and there is no cage we will not put you in should you do harm to our children.”
Following through on that pledge, Patel praised those involved in a major “take down of child abusers in Texas … to protect America’s kids from criminals. We’re taking them off the street and not stopping.”
The North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and FBI Dallas’s North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force led Operation Soteria Shield, a month-long collaborative enforcement effort to find and rescue children being sexually exploited online.
The operation was run by the FBI Dallas Division, the police departments of Dallas, Plano, Wylie and Garland in conjunction with the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Spanning multiple counties, more than 70 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, federal prosecutors, children’s advocacy centers, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children were involved. Their efforts led to the rescue of 109 children and arrest of 244 on nearly 400 charges, authorities said.
Highly skilled computer crimes investigators “worked around the clock to identify victims and apprehend offenders engaged in the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material,” the FBI said.
Investigators also seized “extensive volumes of digital evidence, including terabytes of illicit data stored on electronic devices,” which are undergoing forensic analysis. Once investigators comb through the data, additional victims may be identified and additional arrests may be made, the FBI said.
“We had a common goal, which was to rescue children from abuse and exploitation,” FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joseph Rothrock said. “This was not an easy operation, but a necessary one. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to protect the children in our communities, and we will hold child predators accountable for their crimes.”
Plano Police Chief Ed Drain said the operation “brought together an unprecedented level of collaboration and resolve to confront this crisis head-on. Through this operation, we not only rescued children from unimaginable abuse, but we also sent a clear message: those who seek to harm our children online will be found and brought to justice. Our work is far from over, but this effort has made our communities safer and brought hope to those who need it most.”
Wylie Police Chief Anthony Henderson pointed out that the “trauma inflicted by these crimes runs deep, affecting not only the victims, but also their families and entire communities. With every arrest made and every child protected, the operation moves us closer to a safer community.”
In an announcement last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi urged parents to understand that their children have “no right to privacy on the Internet. None. You have to monitor what your kids are doing. Whether they’re playing games on the Internet, on social media, any other websites that children, teenagers frequent, an online predator can find them. I always say it’s from instant message to instant nightmare.”
She also explained the methods online predators use. “They’re talking to your kids like their other children, and they’re not. They’re predators. They pose as children.” Online predators sometimes manipulate children “to post explicit pictures of themselves [online] after they talked to them. In some cases, they even try to blackmail the children. The suicide rate among teens ages 14 to 17 has increased as a result of this as well, because teens are taken advantage of and they’re manipulated online by child predators,” she said.
Bondi also said federal prosecutors would bring the maximum charges against child predators, including life in prison and the death penalty.
