15 YEARS FOR PARENTS IN SEX ABUSE OF GIRL, 6

Washington State Patrol on Monday announced that officers working on a task force investigatingrnchild sexual abuse had recently arrested 26 men on suspicion of crimes ranging from child rape tornpossession of child pornography.

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The Operation Net Nanny sting was organized by the state police Missing and Exploited ChildrenrnTask Force. Officers working on the task force used the internet to communicate with men interestedrnin exploiting children. The men were arrested when they went to meet the undercover officers inrnperson.

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Of the 26 men arrested, five had access to children at risk of being abused, state policernreported. The men arrested in the sting were mostly from the Tri-Cities area including Richland,rnPasco, and Kennewick; others arrested include men from Pendleton, Ore.; Yakima; West Richland; andrnTieton.

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The men were arrested on crimes including: attempted first or second-degree child rape;rndistribution to persons under age of eighteen; commercial sexual abuse of a minor; possession ofrndepictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct; dealing in depictions of minor engaged inrnsexually explicit conduct; and communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

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Message from Executive Director Laura A. Ahearn: Parents for Megan's Law and the Crime VictimsrnCenter provides prevention education, advocacy, counseling and other valuable support services tornchild and adult victims of sexual assault and to all victims of violent crime. Please visit ourrnwebsite at www.parentsformeganslaw.org for news, information and resources in your community.

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https://patch.com/washington/spokane/26-eastern-wash-men-arrested-child-sex-abuse-sting