SALT LAKE CITY — Federal, state and local law enforcers teamed up during the NBA's All-Star Game in Salt Lake City to crack down on online predators.
"The safety of our children is of paramount importance. Those who prey on and exploit our most vulnerable will be prosecuted to the full force of the law. This is a collaborative effort to keep our community safe. I appreciate the time that was dedicated to this operation during the All-Star Weekend. When many in Salt Lake County were enjoying the events for the All-Star Weekend, others took this as an opportunity to violate the law," said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.
Undercover agents would either pose as children on online dating and social media apps, or would pose as adults offering their children to predators for a fee, according to court documents. One man who allegedly arranged to have sex with a 7-year-old girl acknowledged after he was arrested that he "did something really stupid" and it was the first time he had tried something like that, according to charging documents.
"You get all sorts of people from all backgrounds. That makes the work so critical because you can't say there's one particular type ," said Gill.