Skip to main content

California authorities arrest 275 child predators

By WTOP Staff

TAMI ABDOLLAH
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A monthlong national effort to capture sex predators led to 275 arrests in Southern California that included a teaching assistant for special needs kids, a retired sheriff’s deputy and a U.S. Army soldier, authorities said Thursday.

The effort dubbed “Operation Broken Heart” involved dozens of local, state and federal authorities throughout May who targeted sex offenders, child sex traffickers, pimps, child porn traders and sex tourists traveling abroad.

In a technique reminiscent of the infamous show “To Catch a Predator,” the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children task force had its investigators pretend to be 12 to 14-year-old children online and arrested many individuals when they showed up to engage in sex acts with children.

“The dirty old man stereotype no longer applies,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, which works on the task force. “The perpetrators in these cases come from all walks of life and virtually every strata of the socio-economic spectrum they’re community leaders, white-collar professionals and even law enforcement personnel. The common denominator in most of these cases is the Internet. It has become the preferred playground for child sex predators.”

At a news conference Thursday in a park where children played, authorities emphasized the importance of educating youth about the dangers of the Internet and insisted that parents strictly supervise and are aware of their children’s online activities.

“You lock your doors and windows every night to be able to keep predators out of your home,” said Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “If your child is in the next room on the Internet, you may have a predator basically sitting virtually in the next room and you’re giving that predator access.”

A number of the more than 275 people arrested were in positions of trust and with easy access to children. Arrestees included:

— A teacher’s assistant was arrested by the Los Angeles Police department after he allegedly showed up to a meeting believing he was going to have sex with two children.

— A retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested for allegedly distributing child pornography through several websites.

— Of the arrested, California parole agents picked up 186 sex offenders for violating their terms of release. Three were found in possession of child pornography; multiple were found in places where they’re barred such as parks and schools. Of the 186 sex offenders arrested, 155 were sent back to court with recommendations to have their parole revoked.

— A 64-year-old computer programmer was arrested by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies after allegedly traveling to a park to try to meet with a 15-year-old child for sex. A search warrant for his home and business indicated he’d exchanged emails with multiple other children and had posted 100 advertisements looking for sex with young girls.

— A U.S. Army soldier on leave responded to two separate undercover investigators posing as young girls and was arrested after showing up to have sex.

— A former substitute teacher allegedly posted a personal ad seeking sex with a father and a son. He was arrested after allegedly traveling to meet with what he believed was an 8-year-old boy.

The number of arrests and potential allegations are expected to grow as forensic investigators continue analyzing seized evidence. Law enforcement conducted the operations in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

___

Tami Abdollah can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/latams

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote