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FBI says Operation Restore Justice led to more than 204 arrests and about 100 children located
Summary
In a spring 2025, five-day operation the FBI says it arrested over 204 subjects and located roughly 100 children, part of an effort tied to the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood to disrupt child sexual exploitation networks.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Operation Restore Justice, a five-day nationwide operation in April 2025, targeted 'the most egregious offenders' involved in child sexual exploitation and resulted in more than 204 arrests and the location of about 100 children.
Darren Cox, deputy assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, described the operation as a concentrated surge conducted with state, local, federal and international partners aimed at arresting individuals who 'if we arrested would make the streets safer and safer for our children.' Cox said the operation prioritized offenders believed to pose the greatest risk and that the bureau worked across its 55 field offices to carry out arrests and victim-rescue efforts.
The Department of Justice brought the cases involved in Operation Restore Justice as part of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative launched in May 2006 that marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute people who use the internet to exploit children, the episode said. The DOJ described the alleged offenses in the arrests as including producing, distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material, enticing minors online, transporting minors and trafficking children for sex.
Scott, a supervisory special agent with the FBI's Crimes Against Children unit, gave a case example to illustrate the bureau's work: he said an American man had repeatedly traveled to the Philippines to target vulnerable victims and that investigators brought three girls to the United States to testify. 'I got to watch them become little girls again,' Scott said, describing seeing the victims laugh and regain normalcy after prosecution.
The episode also provided contact information and guidance for the public: listeners were instructed to contact state and local law enforcement first if they suspect a child is being abused, followed by the local FBI field office, and were given web addresses (tips.fbi.gov, fbi.gov/fieldoffices and fbi.gov/vc) for reporting and more information about the bureau's violent-crime initiatives.
The podcast framed Restore Justice as part of a recurring enforcement strategy: while FBI agents investigate child-exploitation crimes year-round, the bureau said it concentrates resources during designated operations to maximize arrests and victim recovery. No formal policy changes or legislative actions were announced in the episode.
The FBI produced the episode through its Office of Public Affairs as part of the "Your FBI: Crushing Violent Crime" campaign. For more information on the operation and Project Safe Childhood, the bureau and DOJ websites listed in the episode provide case listings and guidance for reporting tips.
