DECATUR, Ga. – The number of child exploitation cases in Georgia is on the rise, according to a news release Wednesday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The number of arrests resulting from investigations by the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit (CEACC) and the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force has risen steadily over the last 3 years.
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Here are the number of arrests made between fiscal years 2014 and 2016:
• 2014 Arrests = 189
• 2015 Arrests = 201
• 2016 Arrests = 275
The increase is a direct result of the added number of new affiliates who partner with the GBI to conduct more proactive investigations.
These increased proactive efforts produce tangible results, the GBI said.
“These increased arrests illustrate the importance of the task force working together and show that individuals attempting to exploit children will not be tolerated,” said Debbie Garner, the GBI special agent in charge of the CEACC Unit.
Multiple undercover operations by the task force have arrested individuals from all walks of life, the GBI said.
The Georgia ICAC Task Force is comprised of more than 200 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as other related criminal justice agencies and prosecutor’s offices.