(VitalNews.org) – In a decisive strike against child predators, 23 men were arrested in North Carolina for attempting to arrange sex with children.
Operation “Millstone” sent a clear message: those who target kids will face the full force of the justice system.
Davidson County Sheriff Richie Simmons announced the arrests after a massive five-day undercover operation in late October.
The Invictus Task Force, a collaboration of local, state and federal agencies, led the charge in this massive effort to protect American children.
Law enforcement officers pretended to be juveniles aged 12 to 14 online, luring these predators into a trap. The operation involved 19-20 agencies across North Carolina.
Sheriff Simmons described the scale of the operation, stating, “During our projects, we had 100 people here at any one time.”
Discussing the arrested individuals, Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson stated, “They need to go to prison, and our legislators need to take a step forward and make sure this doesn’t… (continue) to happen.”
“Because we’re not through. We are coming after you if you mess with our kids here in North Carolina,” he added.
Among those arrested was Michael Todd Villines, a registered sex offender from Virginia.
This arrest highlights a disturbing trend: repeat offenders who continue to prey on children despite previous convictions.
Kernersville Police Chief Jason Tilley issued a stark warning to potential offenders: “It is naïve to think these are the only ones out there, we know there are more.”
“But if you even consider coming to our area, you will be hunted down,” he declared.
The Invictus Task Force is the first of its kind in North Carolina. It uses a full-time, proactive approach to investigate cyber tips and uncover human trafficking and exploitation cases.
Randolph County Sheriff Gregory Seabolt emphasized, “It is our job to lure these individuals to make a mistake and communicate with us when they think they are communicating with a 12- or 13-year-old.”
“They are trying to infiltrate the bedrooms of our minors by phones and computers,” he continued.
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