KITTITAS COUNTY, Wash. — A multi-day operation involving the Washington State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies led to the arrests of 13 suspected sexual predators in Kittitas County.
The Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office said these suspects may have targeted children.
“Operation Net Nanny was the 14th operation around Washington state with a mission to proactively target people involved in child abuse and child exploitation via the internet. WSP’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force and Internet Crime Against Children affiliate spearhead the operation that includes partners in federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The operation has led to a total of 221 arrests and rescued over 30 identified victims throughout the state, according to the sheriff’s office.
Undercover law enforcement officers communicated with people interested in having sex with children through various websites and phone apps, according to the sheriff's office. The operation generated hundreds of responses. Those who were arrested over the five-day operation traveled to meet with undercover detectives posing as young boys and girls with the intent to engage in sexual activity with children as young as three years old.
According to the sheriff’s office, the primary crimes investigated include attempted rape of a child in the first and second degree; commercial sexual abuse of a minor; possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; dealing in depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; communication with a minor for immoral purposes; involving a person under 18 in unlawful controlled substance transaction; and distribution to persons under 18.