‘Operation Safe Online Summer’ leads to 16 charged, 934 GB of data evidence collected by KSP, Gov. Beshear says

FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — State leaders said on Thursday that 16 alleged perpetrators across Kentucky were arrested as part of a national operation to protect kids from online exploitation.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced on June 24 that the operation, carried out by the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch, brought the number of alleged child predators arrested in the state since 2019 to 325.

Operation Safe Online Summer was carried out through April by all 50 states and coordinated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, per state leaders.

“We are committed to building a safer Kentucky, especially for our most vulnerable children,” Beshear said. “I am proud of our Electronic Crime Branch team for working hard to take predators off the internet and off the streets so our children can be safe online and in their community.”

In line with the summer operation by state police, Beshear reportedly signed SB 73, making sexual extortion a felony, and HB 207, which strengthens the language in a statute to include more forms of abuse and sexual exploitation of minors.

State police wrote that during the April campaign, law enforcement in the Commonwealth:

• Launched over 70 investigations stemming from complaints and cyber tips.
• Arrested 16 alleged perpetrators
• Executed 37 search warrants across the state
• Submitted 16 cases for state prosecution and two cases for federal prosecution.
• Identified 11 child victims during the operation
• Completed 37 forensic examinations, including 17 on-scene forensic examinations.
• Examined a total of 934 gigabytes of data for evidence
• Conducted 14 community outreach presentations, reaching more than 730 people

“Since taking office in 2019, the Beshear-Coleman administration has awarded more than $149 million in grant funding to victim service agencies and provided victim services to approximately 323,000 Kentuckians,” administration officials said in a news release on Thursday. “In August, the Governor awarded $14.9 million through the federal Victims of Crime Act grant program prioritizing services to victims of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence; survivors of violence; victims of burglary, theft, drug and alcohol-related crimes; and elderly victims.”