On Monday, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced arrests in a 3-week long sting operation called "Operation Zeus", which targeted the online exploitation of children.
"We're gonna find you," said Collin County Sheriff's public information officer Nick Bristow. "If you're up here involved in this kind of activity, contacting minors online, juveniles online for the purpose of going and committing sexual acts with them, or sitting at your house looking at child pornography, we're gonna find you!"
10 North Texas men and 2 juveniles were arrested for charges ranging from Promotion of Child Pornography to Online Solicitation of a Minor.
The sting involved several North Texas law enforcement agencies, as well as the FBI. One child victim was located during the sting.
"They were being used as a victim of child pornography," Bristow explained. "It's very unfortunate, extremely unfortunate, but we were lucky enough to get in there and save this person."
Bristow says often times child victims don't know the suspects' intentions.
"A lot of these kids get in chat rooms," Bristow said. "And they start talking to these adults that have nefarious motives in mind and one thing leads to another."
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Investigators expect more arrests in the future stemming from evidence seized during Operation Zeus.
"This is going to be an exercise or an operation that occurs at least once a year," said Lt. Bristow. "Sheriff Skinner is extremely committed to going after these people that are downloading or viewing child porn or coming into Collin County to have sex with juvenile victims."
