LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — Limestone County Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin says child predators are not welcome in Limestone County.
“It’s something that I told the people I would do when I came in, is protect our children,” he told News 19.
The sheriff said one way he’s keeping that promise is through the Millstone Project. It’s an effort aimed at combating child exploitation that started in February of 2024. Since then, LCSO said it’s arrested nearly 50 people.
McLaughlin said the people arrested for these types of crimes don’t fit into a mold.
“It can be anybody, that’s one thing we’ve noticed doing these operations,” he said. “You’re not looking at one particular generation or job, or any of that, it’s a wide spectrum of people who are out there.”
He said anyone could be in an online gaming chat room or on social media. That’s why he wants to remind parents to talk to their kids about internet safety.
“We encourage parents to let their children know that if they’re communicating with anybody, to not give out any kind of information, don’t video chat and do those things that could give out information that they don’t even realize,” he said.
This advice comes as the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Team recently arrested a total of 12 people as part of an online child exploitation sting.
“We do these operations to try and protect our kids,” he told News 19.
LCSO said the suspects used social media, messaging apps, and online gaming spaces to reach out to children in Limestone County. Many of the suspects are charged with Human Trafficking, Traveling to Meet a Minor for Sex, and Electronic Solicitation of a Child.
The Sheriff said he is glad the operation was successful in arresting these suspects.
“When we catch them it feels really good, because we don’t know if they’ve had victims before this, but we know they won’t have any victims moving forward, so it’s just one more person off of the streets,” he said.
While Operation Summer Heat has wrapped up, he said the team is continuing the effort.
“We also maintain, every single day, an online presence out there, looking for people preying on our children,” he said.
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