Justice Department announces results of Operation Restore Justice: more than 205 child sex abuse offenders arrested in FBI-led nationwide crackdown including an arrest in the[...]

PLANO, Texas - Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department's Criminal Division, and United States Attorney's Offices around the country.

"The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims - especially child victims - and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate."

"Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we're sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children."

"Children are the world's most valuable resource and our best hope for the future and here in the Eastern District of Texas, we will do all we can to ensure that they are protected and have the means of achieving the future they deserve free of vicious predators," said Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. "Operation Restore Justice leveraged the resources of federal, state, and local law enforcement to track down these predators who prey on our most vulnerable and I thank our law enforcement partners for the tireless work they committed to this operation. The message should be clear: In the Eastern District of Texas, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent because protecting our children demands such."

"Protecting children is a top priority of the FBI and our partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement allow us to combine resources and collectively tackle this heinous crime," said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. "Every arrest made in these cases delivers justice and also sends a clear message that crimes against children will not be tolerated."

In the Eastern District of Texas, Yehudra-Ari Nathan Esquenazi, 25, of Dallas, Collin County, Texas, was arrested on April 30, 2025, after being identified during an investigation initiated by the FBI in North Carolina. Esquenazi is alleged to have engaged in social media and communications applications in which he actively engaged in chats about the sexual exploitation of children. Esquenazi sought out children to abuse within the Eastern District of Texas, traded child pornography with others, and encouraged others to sexually abuse children. The FBI served a search warrant at his home in February 2025 and he was indicted by a federal grand jury in April.

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department's observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department's unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

Other online resources:

Electronic Press Kit

Violent Crimes Against Children

How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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