'Operation Candyman' targets child porn
Posted on 03/18/2002 12:42:56 PM PST by MeekOneGOP
'Operation Candyman' targets child porn
FBI probe began in Houston office
03/18/2002
WASHINGTON - Federal law enforcement authorities have broken up a computer-based pornography ring that targeted children, Attorney General John Ashcroft said.
Announcing "Operation Candyman," Ashcroft said Monday that more than 80 people have been charged in the operation and said more arrests are coming.
One of the Texas suspects, from Henderson County, was scheduled to be arraigined in Tyler Monday afternoon.
"As its name implies, the 'Operation Candyman' e-group had a single purpose in mind as well: to exploit and degrade children," Ashcroft told a news conference at FBI headquarters here.
"It is clear that a new marketplace for child poronography has emerged from the dark corners of cyberspace," he said. "Innocent boys and girls have been targeted by offenders who view them as sexual objects."
Holding a news conference with FBI officials, Ashcroft revealed that the sting operation, which began in January 2001 at the FBI's Houston office, is ongoing.
"In the past 14 months," he said, "all 56 national FBI field offices investigated hundreds of individuals who were subscibers to the 'Candyman' email group." Ashcroft said that among those caught in the sting were police officers, members of the clergy and -- in one case -- a bus driver.
He said that prior to Monday's announcement, the FBI had arrested 86 people "on child pornography grounds" and that 27 members of the "Candyman" email group have been arrested and admitted to molesting 36 children.
Ashcroft told reporters federal authorities have shut down the email group and will to shut down others as well. "Our investigation uncovered an estimated 7,000 members (of the email group), including some 2,400 outside our borders," he said.
Father, please bless Kevin.
Wanted to bump that statement as I agree 100%. What I don't understand is why Freepers don't seem to be incensed by this. Since we have so many pro-lifers that are on here that want to protect the unborn, where are the statements about protecting the young children of America from this type of crime.
Would appreciate someone filling me in why these threads went nowhere! Personally think the people that participated in this should be punished to the full extent of the law. Everyone of these children that was involved is someone's child. I just don't get it!
What you say?
And, unless you wish to start having life sentences for thought crimes, they need help, which they won't find in a jail cell. I'm with you on prosecuting abusers to the fullest extent of the law.
Child porn rings don't use popups. It makes them too easy to find.
Like I said, unless you intend to get life sentences, with no parole for guys who have not actually acted out, jail is only a temporary solution. Even the ones that abuse. After years jail they just go back living the way they did. These people need serious treatment.
How's this for "acting out":
He said that prior to Monday's announcement, the FBI had arrested 86 people "on child pornography grounds" and that 27 members of the "Candyman" email group have been arrested and admitted to molesting 36 children.
So, we have 86 arrests, of which 27 admit to molesting children. That's over 31% that admit molesting, right off the bat. I'm afraid to guess what the actual ratio might be.
Well, we have tried the witch hunt approach since we had laws. I think we, as a culture, need to not simply label these people monsters and sickos. They don't choose to have these feelings. And they will not seek help if whoever they tell berates them as less than human.
They found 7000 members of a group that is openly trading on YAHOO. Just think of all the ones with common sense who stay hidden; I fear, millions. This is a huge problem and it needs to be addressed.
Thats a good thing to. They need to be arrested for trading in this stuff. But, unless you want to remove the constitution, the people who are not proven to have abused a child will serve short sentences. And they will come out no better than when they went in, if not worse.
Having grown up in the era of the "If it feels right do it crowd" I am somehow not surprised at this. I find it sick and disgusting and would like to ask these people just what they would think if it was their child!
Some people truly need help, others are just lowlifes looking for kicks I guess. Would think there is a definite distinction between the groups of people that were involved.
That would not help the truly afflicted ones. Their brains are miswired to where they truly believe that sex is how they express love and affection to children.
I find it hard to believe that all 7,000 didn't know it was wrong! Those are the people that truly disgust me -- the ones who know it is wrong! They have no excuse!
Be it that they were abused themselves, or that they never received the love they needed growing up, they must relearn how to love, the right way.
At what? The fact that CP is all over the internet? That's old news. The problem is that no one is admitting that it is as big of a problem as it is. Not big as in how terrible it is, big as in how many people are affected by it.
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