PHOENIX — The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office announced the arrest of six individuals in Arizona as part of Operation Restore Justice, a nationwide effort aimed at identifying and apprehending child sex abuse offenders. The initiative, which ran from April 28 to May 2, resulted in 205 arrests across the country and underscores the FBI’s ongoing mission to combat child exploitation.
Among those arrested in Arizona were:
A suspect in Sells accused of secretly recording and photographing his girlfriend’s two daughters, including a minor, while they slept.
A suspect in Clarkdale charged with online enticement of multiple minors and production of child pornography.
A Phoenix resident arrested for alleged possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
A suspect on the Salt River Indian Reservation facing charges of production and possession of child pornography and sexual abuse of a minor.
A suspect on the Navajo Nation charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
A Tucson man accused of distributing CSAM on social media. A subsequent search of his home uncovered cocaine and automatic weapons.
“Operation Restore Justice underscored our unwavering commitment to protecting children,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “Every arrest in these child sexual abuse cases not only delivers justice—it sends a powerful message: crimes against children will not be tolerated.”
The surge coincided with Child Abuse Prevention Month and involved collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies. Though the operation lasted only a few days, officials say it reflects the year-round priority the FBI places on fighting crimes against children.
In 2024, FBI Phoenix’s Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) unit arrested 71 alleged child predators and helped identify or locate 75 child victims.
The VCAC program investigates offenses such as production and possession of CSAM, child sex tourism, and sextortion. It also works with local task forces and partners like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which operates a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and receives online reports at missingkids.org.
The FBI also manages the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs) in every field office and launched the Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) in 2004 to identify perpetrators involved in abuse and CSAM production.
Anyone with information about potential child exploitation is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov, or call the Phoenix Field Office at 623-466-1999.
