Matheson: Utah Effort Against Child Predators to Receive Boost

Washington D.C.—Congressman Jim Matheson said today that a much-needed law enforcement boost for the Internet Crimes Against Children task force is included in bipartisan legislation he cosponsored.  The PROTECT Our Children Act –HR 3845—passed the House Wednesday.

Matheson said law enforcement experts estimate that more than 350,000 individuals in the U.S. are actively engaged in child exploitation crimes. He said investigators such as those who operate Utah’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are on the case, yet are outnumbered, overwhelmed and under-funded.  Nationally, less than 2% of known criminal activity is being investigated.

“The only thing stopping these dedicated professionals at Utah’s ICAC team from putting more criminals who prey on children in jail, is adequate resources. We owe it to them to provide the money, the crime labs and the prosecutors they need to confront this multi-billion dollar global child exploitation industry,” said Matheson.

Matheson said the bill:

• Triples the size of the ICAC program in year one, supporting the 46 state and local task forces that have become the backbone of America’s war against internet child predators;
• Adds hundreds of new federal agents within the FBI, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service
• Provides desperately-need forensic crime labs, easing the backlog of investigations;
• Provides a legal structure for and funds the ICAC data network.

“This is a fight against criminals who have no remorse at victimizing young, innocent children.  It’s an ugly, dangerous business and I will support whatever it takes to assist law enforcement in combating this growing threat to our kids,” said Matheson.

Matheson also voted for three additional bills that included requirements for convicted sex offenders to register online identifiers and to enhance child pornography prosecutions.

 

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