Predators Lurking Online -- Catching Them Before They Strike
4/25/2006
The danger on the internet is real for a generation of children whose
social lives can be just as active online as off. The National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that in 2005 one out of
five children was solicited online by an adult.
The war against online predators has begun in many law enforcement
agencies around the country. Cops have set up stings to arrest suspects
trying to meet underage kids for sexual encounters. All suspects will
have their day in court -- and if convicted, become registered sex
offenders.
The Sting
Suffolk County Police escort a suspected online predator out of the
house where they conducted their sting.
View LargerIn January, AMW went along with Suffolk County Police in
New York as they set up a sting to arrest suspected predators. Some of
the suspects had been chatting with authorities posing as minors for
quite some time. This is just one of the many stings the Suffolk County
Police sets up every year. For this sting, the location was a house
where AMW had set-up nine cameras inside and out.
When John Walsh saw the footage from the January sting, he couldn't
believe how many of these suspected predators showed up. He wanted the
chance to confront some of these online predators himself. So in April,
four different men who had arranged in online chats to meet with young
girls, were instead met by John Walsh and Suffolk County Police.
Be sure to watch the whole story this Saturday, April 29, 2006 on AMW.
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