Thread: U.S. D.H.S / D.O.J. Seizes Web Site Domains

Joint DHS-DOJ "Operation Protect Our Children" Seizes Website Domains Involved in Advertising and Distributing Child Pornography

Release Date: February 15, 2011

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

Washington, D.C.—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) today announced the execution of seizure warrants against 10 domain names of websites engaged in the advertisement and distribution of child pornography as part of "Operation Protect Our Children"—a new joint operation between DOJ and DHS’ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to target sites that provide child pornography.

"Each year, far too many children fall prey to sexual predators and all too often, these heinous acts are recorded in photos and on video and released on the Internet," said Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. "DHS is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to shut down websites that promote child pornography to protect these children from further victimization."

"For all its positive impact, the Internet has also unfortunately created a new way for child predators to commit their inexcusable crimes," said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division. "The production and distribution of child pornography wreak havoc on innocent lives. With these domain seizures, we are taking our fight against child pornography to websites that facilitate the exchange of these abusive images."

This enforcement action was spearheaded by ICE’s Cyber Crimes Center (C3), under a nationwide ICE initiative to identify, investigate and arrest those who prey on children. Individuals attempting to access the seized websites will now find a banner notifying them that the domain name of that website has been seized by federal authorities.

"Operation Protect Our Children" leverages the resources of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, the DOJ Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the DOJ Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section to investigate and prepare seizure warrants against the domain names of websites that host child pornography.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

For more information, visit www.ice.gov.

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This page was last reviewed/modified on February 15, 2011.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1297804574965.shtm

Good, now if they would just protect American children from illegal alien sexual predators we could be slightly appreciative.

W

This is rather disturbing really

Not that they are busting child porn , But a few months ago it was music pirates

Who will it be tomorrow ? Us?

After all , a partner of the DHS is the SPLC
It appears most anti illegal groups are labeled as racists or at the least
hate speech.... whatever that is

They are up to something and it is starting to stink

I.C.E. News Release

February 15, 2011
Pittsburgh, PAI

Internet predator group member sentenced to 15 years in prison for engaging in child exploitation enterprise

PITTSBURGH - Fred Woolum of Lexington, Va., was sentenced Feb. 15 in the Western District of Pennsylvania to 15 years in prison and a lifetime of supervision on his release and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Department of Justice Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania David J. Hickton and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge John Kelleghan.

Woolum, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise before U.S. District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab on July 22, 2010.

According to court documents and proceedings, Woolum and others distributed images and videos of children being sexually abused to other members of an international Internet group that had restricted membership and was formed on a social networking website. Members of the group distributed to one another thousands of sexually explicit images and videos of children, many of which graphically depicted prepubescent, male children, including some infants, being sexually abused and sometimes sodomized or subjected to bondage.

This case was investigated by HSI in Pittsburgh and the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig W. Haller of the Western District of Pennsylvania and CEOS Trial Attorney Andrew McCormack prosecuted the case.

HSI's involvement in this investigation is part of the agency's national initiative known as Operation Predator, an ongoing enforcement effort targeting those who prey upon and sexually exploit our nation's children-including Internet pornographers, international sex tourists, and foreign national sexual predators.

Operation Goodbye, a multi-year HSI cyber investigation based in Pittsburgh, specifically targeted the predator group Woolum was engaged with. Earlier this month, predator group members Stephen Simms of Palm Springs, Calif., and Ryan Chiles of Hampton, Va., were also sentenced in the Western District of Pennsylvania to prison for child exploitation enterprise.

HSI encourages the reporting of suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an ICE partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com .

For more information in HSI's predator investigations, go to www.ICE.gov .

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov . To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

U.S. Dept of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1102/1 ... sburgh.htm

I am glad they busted these sites that have child pornography. But why is ICE involved? Were the sites run by illegals? I dont get it.

Originally Posted by redpony353

I am glad they busted these sites that have child pornography. But why is ICE involved? Were the sites run by illegals? I dont get it.

Because Cyber Crimes are part of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's responsibilities.

Cyber Crimes Center
Report suspicious activity

1-866-DHS-2-ICE or Operation.Predator.ice@dhs.gov

For tips to prevent and deter individuals from committing online child abuse: Virtual Global Task Force

Report suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at - http://www.missingkids.com
1-800-843-5678 or www.cybertipline.com

The Cyber Crimes Center (C3) Child Exploitation Section (CES) investigates the trans-border large scale production and distribution of images of child abuse, as well as individuals who travel abroad to engage in sex with minors. The CES employs the latest technology to collect evidence and track the activities of individuals and organized groups who sexually exploit children through the use of websites, chat rooms, newsgroups and peer-to-peer trading. These investigative activities are organized under Operation Predator, a program managed by the CES. The CES also conducts clandestine operations throughout the world to identify and apprehend violators. The CES assists the field offices and routinely coordinates major investigations. The CES works closely with law enforcement agencies from around the world because the exploitation of children is a matter of global importance.

C3 brings the full range of ICE computer and forensic assets together in a single location to combat such Internet-related crimes as:

Possession, manufacture and distribution of images of child abuse;
International money laundering and illegal cyber-banking;
Illegal arms trafficking and illegal export of strategic/controlled commodities;

Drug trafficking, including trafficking in prohibited pharmaceuticals;
General smuggling, including trafficking in stolen art and antiquities and violations of the Endangered Species Act;
Intellectual property rights violations, including music and software;
Immigration violations; and Identity and benefit fraud.

C3 is made up of four components. Three of these — the Cyber Crimes Section (CCS), the Child Exploitation Section (CES) and the Digital Forensic Section (DFS) — provide cyber technical and investigative services. The fourth component, the Information Technology and Administrative Section (ITAS), provides the technical and operational infrastructure services necessary to support the other three C3 sections. C3 brings together special agents, intelligence research specialists, administrative support and contractors who support ICE Internet investigations. C3 program managers are available to provide guidance and training to field agents and other U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies upon request.

Child Exploitation
C3 CES investigates large-scale producers and distributors of child pornography, as well as individuals who travel abroad for the purpose of engaging in sex with minors. CES employs the latest technology to collect evidence and track the activities of individuals and organized groups who sexually exploit children through the use of websites, chat rooms, newsgroups and peer-to-peer trading. The CES provides assistance to ICE field offices, coordinates major investigations and conducts clandestine operations throughout the world to identify and apprehend violators. Because child exploitation is a matter of global importance, CES works closely with law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Operation Falcon —
Operation Falcon identified 39 websites distributing child pornography. Further investigation led to the arrest of 1,200 international downloaders and more than 300 U.S. customers. Nine individuals from the United States and Belarus were identified and charged as the principals in this investigation. All principals were convicted on various charges related to money laundering, as well as the production and distribution of child pornography.

Operation Mango — This investigation closed down an American-owned beachside resort in Acapulco, Mexico, that offered children to sexual predators. The resort was a haven for pedophiles who traveled to the facility for the sole purpose of engaging in sex with minors. The proprietor of the business was convicted. As a result of this investigation and others, the government of Mexico recently created a federal task force to address crimes against children.

Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program
— The Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice Programs ICAC Task Force Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies fighting child pornography and child exploitation on the Web. ICE special agents are active members of ICAC task forces throughout the United States. The Northern Virginia/Metro DC ICAC is housed at C3.

Cyber Crimes Section
The Cyber Crimes Section (CCS) is responsible for developing and coordinating investigations, Internet-based immigration and customs violations. The CCS investigative responsibilities include fraud, theft of intellectual property rights, money laundering, identity and benefit fraud, the sale and distribution of narcotics and other controlled substances, illegal arms trafficking and the illegal export of strategic/controlled commodities and the smuggling and sale of other prohibited items, such as art and cultural property.

The CCS is involved in the development of Internet undercover law enforcement investigative methodology, as well as new laws and regulations to strengthen U.S. cyber-border security. C3 supports ICE Homeland Security Investigations' domestic field offices and foreign attachés offices with cyber technical and covert online investigative support.

Operation Apothecary — CCS, the ICE Commercial Fraud Office and the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Coordination Center partnered together to launch Operation Apothecary, a comprehensive initiative designed to target, arrest and prosecute individuals and organizations involved in the smuggling of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, including controlled substances, non-controlled substances, and scheduled narcotics, via the Internet. The initiative focuses on the affiliates of rogue pharmacies that are typically operated by criminal enterprises to generate large sums of money with no regard for the health and welfare of the public.

Intellectual Property Rights — CCS has encountered thousands of websites based in the United States, as well as foreign countries that are engaged in the sale of counterfeit merchandise, including music and software, via the Internet. The CCS continues to work closely with the National IPR Coordination Center, the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section at the Department of Justice and industry representatives to identify websites responsible for the sale of the counterfeit items. (read more)

Counter Proliferation Investigations — CCS supports ICE’s mission to prevent countries, terrorists and transnational criminals from obtaining strategic materials, funds and support. It also protects the American public from the introduction weapons of mass destruction and other instruments of terror from entering the United States. (read more)

Identify Fraud Initiative — The availability and use of fraudulent identification documents has always been a concern to the law enforcement community. While traditionally available from street sources, fraudulent identification and travel documents of all types are also readily available for sale via the Internet. In the post-9/11 world, fraudulent identity and travel documents are of an even greater concern to ICE because of the alarming threat they pose to ICE's primary mission of protecting the United States and its citizens from harm arising from the movement of people and goods into and out of the country. CCS has sought to identify sources for fraudulent identity and immigration documents on the Internet. Those sources identified are pursued for criminal violations either locally or referred to other ICE field offices. (read more)

Digital Forensics Section
Digital evidence is quickly replacing documentary evidence as the “smoking gunâ€

Examples @

I.C.E. News Releases - January 2011

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-226662-releases.html

Child Exploitation/Operation Predator

Each year, millions of children fall prey to sexual predators. These young victims are left with permanent psychological, physical, and emotional scars. ICE targets and investigates child pornographers, child sex tourists and facilitators, human smugglers and traffickers of minors, criminal aliens convicted of offenses against minors and those deported for child exploitation offenses who have returned illegally.

Seeking to end this criminal activity and protect children worldwide, ICE developed Operation Predator, an initiative to identify, investigate and arrest child predators and sexual offenders. Operation Predator draws on ICE's unique investigative and enforcement authorities to safeguard children.

Coordinated nationally and internationally, Operation Predator brings together an array of ICE disciplines and resources to target these child sex abusers. As part of the effort:

ICE has created a National Child Victim Identification System in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Justice, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces and other agencies.

ICE agents stationed internationally work with foreign governments, Interpol and others to enhance coordination and cooperation on crimes that cross borders.

ICE is a member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, joining law enforcement agencies around the world to fight child exploitation information and images that travel over the Internet.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around-the-clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may also be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

About ICE membership in the Virtual Global Taskforce
The Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) is made up of law enforcement agencies from around the world working together to fight child abuse online. VGT aims to build an effective, international partnership of law enforcement agencies that helps to protect children from online child abuse.

VGT strives to make the Internet a safer place, identify, locate and help children at risk and hold perpetrators accountable.

The VGT comprises the Australian High Tech Crime Centre, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in the UK, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the US Department of Homeland Security, Italian Postal and Communication Police Service, and Interpol.

Resources and reporting information are available at www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com .

Recent News

2/15/2011 Pittsburgh, PA Internet predator group member sentenced to 15 years in prison for engaging in child exploitation enterprise

2/11/2011 Chicago, IL Former college professor sentenced to 6 years in prison for possessing, distributing child pornography

2/11/2011 Pittsburgh, PA Virginia man sentenced in Pennsylvania to 102 months in prison for engaging in child exploitation enterprise

2/11/2011 Seattle, WA Olympia man with more than 34,000 images of child pornography sentenced to 15 years in prison

2/10/2011 Dallas, TX Federal grand jury indicts Ennis, Texas, man on child pornography charges

2/10/2011 Ft Worth, TX Amarillo, Texas, resident pleads guilty to federal child pornography charges


U.S. Dept of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/predator/

Because Cyber Crimes are part of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's responsibilities.

Ahh. I did not know that ICE was responsible for cyber crimes. I thought they were only responsible for illegal immigration. So now it make more sense. Thanks.