LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — A multi-agency operation that lasted for weeks has ended with several men in jail accused of trying to contact children online for indecent purposes.
In all, 17 men were taken into custody across the Carolinas with several also from the Columbia area in cities such as West Columbia, Gaston, Camden, Pelion, Winnsboro, Lexington, and Blythewood.
Suspects ranged in age from 23 to 74 with charges ranging from attempts to disseminate obscene material to children to sexual exploitation and even attempted promotion of prostitution.
Agencies, including the Lexington County Sheriff's Office, hosted the operation in which officers pretended to be underage teens as the suspects messaged them through apps.
"Some even had phone conversations with officers," Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said.
But when the suspects attempted to meet with their supposed victims, they were instead met with officers ready to arrest them.
Koon said most of the messages included sexually explicit language and images.
“They were trying to persuade, entice or coerce someone they reasonably believed to be under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity,” he said.
However, Koon also stressed that no children were ever used or placed in danger during the operation.
The sheriff credited strong relationships between law enforcement at all levels and Attorney General Alan Wilson with making such a massive operation possible. He also thanked several departments and members of the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI, Homeland Security, and even the U.S. Secret Service for their assistance.
Sheriff Koon said more arrests are expected as investigations continue.