FBI sex trafficking sting rescues infant, 5-year-old sister from predators

DENVER –  An annual nationwide FBI sex trafficking sting resulted in the rescue of dozens, including an infant and her five-year-old sister. 

The Operation Cross Country XI stings took place in hotels, casinos, truck stops and on social media. In just four days, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and law enforcement partners in the U.S. and abroad, recovered 84 sexually exploited minors and arrested 120 traffickers.

On October 13, FBI Denver rescued a 3-month-old girl and her five-year-old sister. The girls had been offered up for sex by a friend staying with the family. The friend was arrested after making a deal with an undercover task force officer to sell the girls into the sex trade for $600.

The FBI and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Operation announced the results of the yearly operation Wednesday. 

The latest operation ended Oct. 15 and involved 55 FBI field offices, 78 FBI-led Child Exploitation Task Forces made up of more than 500 law enforcement agencies.

Last year, Operation Cross Country led to the recovery of 82 sexually exploited children and the arrests of 239 people across the country. In all, more than 6,500 children have been recovered since 2003.

The FBI said countless traffickers have been arrested, more than 30 of whom are serving life sentences for their crimes.

This year, Operation Cross Country took place with the help of law enforcement partners in Canada, the United Kingdom, Cambodia and the Philippines.