In a precedent that could have a major impact nationwide, California
police say they are looking at known child pornography traffickers in a
missing child case.
Police in Tracy, California, a city of 80,000 just east of San
Francisco, are searching for an 8 year-old child, Sandra Cantu, who
disappeared March 27th. Now, according to the Tracy Press, investigators in the case say they are
looking at 60 individuals in the Tracy area who have been identified trafficking in child pornography, along with 78
"registered" sex offenders.
It is believed to be the first time in the U.S. that police have
publicly acknowledged the huge population of known but not arrested
child pornography suspects in a missing child case.
While visiting the homes of "registered" sex offenders is common in
missing children cases, the public is mostly unaware that U.S. law
enforcement has also identified hundreds of thousands of criminals
trafficking in child pornography. Fewer than 2% of these suspects are ever investigated, as police and
lawmakers focus on other priorities.
Most law enforcement agencies are
reluctant to acknowledge the existence of these suspects, because doing
so would put huge numbers of unsolved crimes on their boards... crimes
they are not now investigating.
Pursuing the 60 known Tracy child pornography traffickers would,
without question, lead to the rescue of many local children who are
suffering at the hands of sexual predators, many within their own
homes. If authorities follow through on their plan, they will seek
60 subpoenas and then locate and interview these individuals. Tracy
could then expect a wave of successful child pornography and child
abuse investigations and prosecutions.
Tracy authorities, under intense pressure to find Sandra Cantu, have
now set an incredibly important national precedent. Their willingness
to acknowledge at-large child pornography traffickers in their midst shows courage... and could help locate a child victim.
Source: PROTECT
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