In an operation aimed at combating online sexual exploitation, FBI task forces in Texas arrested nearly 250 people and saved over 100 children.
According to the FBI’s press release, Operation Soteria Shield took place in April 2025 and saw law enforcement “seize extensive volumes of digital evidence, including terabytes of illicit data stored on electronic devices that were used in the commission of these crimes,”
Devices recovered from the operation will be forensically examined, and additional arrests may be made as the investigation progresses.
The operation involved approximately 70 law enforcement agencies, including the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force, the FBI Dallas Division, the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Dallas, Plano, Wylie, and Garland Police Departments.
“Operation Soteria Shield brought together over 70 agencies from across Texas, including police departments, federal agencies, state and federal prosecutors, children’s advocacy organizations, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.”
“We shared a common goal: to save children from abuse and exploitation,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The operation was not easy, but it was necessary.
The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to protect children in our communities, and child predators will be held accountable for their actions.”
According to the Austin-American Statesman, 244 perpetrators of child sex crimes were arrested, with 109 children rescued.
“Operation Soteria Shield was a massive team effort and a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together toward a common goal: protecting our children and holding perpetrators accountable.
I am proud that the Dallas Police Department is the lead agency for the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and I am grateful to the numerous agencies that helped make this operation a success,” said Dallas Police Chief Daniel C. Comeaux.
“Online exploitation of children is one of the most heinous crimes we face as a society. It infiltrates every community, crosses all boundaries, and causes long-term harm to its youngest victims.
Operation Soteria Shield brought together unprecedented levels of collaboration and determination to face the crisis head on.
This operation not only saved children from unspeakable abuse, but it also sent a clear message: those who seek to harm our children online will be apprehended and prosecuted.
“Our work is far from done, but this effort has made our communities safer and given hope to those who need it the most,” said Plano Police Chief Ed Drain.
The investigation spanned the last ten years.
