Who are they?
Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following statement.
Today, Attorney General Lynn Fitch with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) ASAC Matt Reidell, U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger (Southern District, Mississippi), U.S. Attorney Scott Leary (Northern District, Mississippi), and more than a dozen federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies announced the successful completion of Operation Muddy Waters to protect children online.
During the 2-week operation, law enforcement officers arrested 13 individuals for charges related to child exploitation and 48 absconders for sex offender registry noncompliance, seized more than 50 devices, served more than 8 search warrants, and secured 3 immigration detainers.
“For two weeks, federal, state, and local law enforcement have been working together to find the predators who hide in plain sight in our communities. And the outstanding number of arrests made during this operation point to the power of this partnership," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. "But the most important number coming from this operation is the one child victim that was saved from a sextortion scheme in progress. The work done in this operation made all the difference to this child and to countless others who are a little safer online right now."
"We will be absolutely relentless in our pursuit of those who seek to exploit our kids. These crimes are an abomination," said U.S. Attorney Scott Leary, Northern District. "I want to thank those agencies that share this vision, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Marshal Service, the Mississippi Attorney General, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and the Police Departments and Sheriff’s Offices who work with us. Together we serve the citizens of this great state. We work hard not to let you down."
"Let today's message be heard loud and clear: if you exploit a child, if you traffic a child, or if you prey on the most vulnerable among us, we will use every lawful tool available to identify you, arrest you, prosecute you, and seek the toughest sentence the law permits," said U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger, Southern District.
“Those who choose to hide behind a computer screen to exploit children will not remain hidden,” said Matthew Reidell, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of HSI Gulfport. “Operation Muddy Waters demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment to protecting children, supporting victims, and holding offenders accountable. We will continue working with our federal, state and local partners to bring these crimes to light, pursue those responsible and help prevent further harm.”
Operation Muddy Waters ran from July 20, 2026, to July 31, 2026 and worked in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to effectively coordinate search warrants and arrests. The operation also included a sex offender compliance check to locate and identify sex offender registry absconders.
The following agencies participated:
- Bay St. Louis Police Department
- Biloxi Police Department
- Desoto County Sheriff’s Office
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Forrest County Sheriff’s Office
- Harrison County Sheriff’s Office
- Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
- Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office
- Lee County Sheriff’s Office
- Leland Police Department
- Marshall County Sheriff’s Office
- Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI)
- Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
- Oxford Police Department
- Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department
- Stone County Sheriff’s Office
- U.S. Wildlife and Fisheries
- Wiggins Police Department
The Mississippi Attorney General's Office is the host agency for the State's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, comprised of nearly 90 law enforcement agencies and 145 law enforcement personnel from across the state to address threats to Mississippi's children online. Its operational capacities include on-site technical assistance for law enforcement across the state, forensic examination and analysis of digital evidence, and expert testimony in criminal proceedings. The Task Force also serves as a central training entity, establishing investigative standards and best practices in ICAC-related investigations.
Law enforcement agencies interested in learning more about or participating in the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, AGO Human Trafficking Task Force, Fentanyl Strike Force, or Cyber Fraud Task Force, should contact the Attorney General’s Office Director of Strategic Law Enforcement Partnerships, Paul Holley, at paul.holley@ago.ms.gov.
Kingfish note: WLBT reported:
The operation concluded last week. Some of the suspects apprehended in the sweep were “individuals in positions of public trust,” and many were “hiding in plain sight,” leaders say.
WHO WAS ARRESTED????? Why are the names kept secret?
2 comments:
Holy cow! Lynn Fitch Does Something Alert! She must be running for governor!
Offender names should be made public!!! sounds like a couple of big fish may have been caught in that net, and in the true spirit of the “haves”, protecting the “haves”, the “have nots”will benefit in that no names will be released! >:-(
Post a Comment