We expect to see news stories about child prostitution overseas; it happens in far away, long-suffering places of no hope. That’s not to suggest that such an abomination is acceptable anywhere, but simply a commentary on our feeling of peace, security, and decency here in our homeland where we don’t expect to find such ghastly practices. But it is exactly here-in our suburban back yards where we wallow in American bliss-that a recent coast-to-coast blitz on the part of the FBI has busted open a complex network of child prostitution organizations that have trafficked in children and sex trade across our nation. What’s worse is that this is not the first sting of its kind; in fact this most recent operation- Operation Cross Country V-is as the name reveals-the fifth operation of its kind. The three day sting was successful in its objective, recovering 69 children and resulting in the arrest of 99 pimps. Overall, the campaign brought in 884 arrests spanning the U.S.A.

This federal sweep was in action over a three day period in 40 cities, with the most children being rescued in Seattle, WA, (16), where seven pimps were arrested according to FBI Special Agent Jason Pack. Also yielding significant rescues and arrests were Tacoma, WA and Sacramento, CA. Detroit saw the greatest number of pimps, (10).

Simultaneously, authorities in Tennessee have announced the arrest of 29 individuals all with connections to sex-trafficking gangs preying on underage Somali and African-America girls. The Somali ties of all 29 include the Somali Outlaws, the Somali Mafia and the Lady Outlaws, according to officials. Federal authorities in Tennessee report that minor girls were transported from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where there is significant Somali immigrant community, to Nashville, Tennessee, with many of the children being age 13 or younger. This trade is reported to have been active for 10 years or more.

Shawn Henry is the executive assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response and Service Branch and said in a written statement, “Child prostitution continues to be a significant problem in our country, as evidenced by the number of children rescued through the continued efforts of our crimes against children task forces,” and adding that, “There is no work more important than protecting America’s children and freeing them from the cycle of victimization. Through our strategic partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies, we are able to make a difference.”

The operation was part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative, formed in June 2003 designed specifically to target the domestic sex trade and trafficking of children. It is a cooperative effort comprised of FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation-Obscenity Section and the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children.

1,250 children have been rescued through the work of Innocence Lost Task Forces, which number 39 across the country. In addition, the initiative has resulted in 438 indictments and 625 convictions, plus the interruption of operations for 153 criminal enterprises, of which 58 have been successfully dismantled, according to authorities.

Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has a brutal reminder for all Americans, saying in a written statement, “Once again, Operation Cross Country has awakened the nation to the fact that today American children are being marketed and sold for sex in American cities,” and added as a further reminder, “This is 21st century slavery. We are proud to be a part of this extraordinary partnership to rescue children, save lives and bring the pimps and operators to justice.”

It’s the offense against the children that grips us; provoking pain in our hearts-and bringing us to tears. We are reminded of the words of Jesus, who while holding a young child, told us in Luke 17:1-2, “1 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! 2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little
ones to fall into sin.”

As for the perpetrators of these abominable acts, we are bound by faith to pray for God’s will to be done, and His justice to be carried out for all of the souls that are lost in this story, and we can rest easier with the assurance found in Ezekial 11:21-“ 21 But as for those who long for vile images and detestable idols, I will repay them fully for their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”