Undercover operation targets Georgia child predators

BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. - A dozen men were arrested in an undercover operation to get child predators off the streets. It was called Operation Golden Eagle. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation called it a proactive online undercover investigation. The arrests were made over a three-day period in Bartow County.

"Conversations on the internet were back and forth with our undercover officers," said GBI Special Agent in Charge Brian Johnston.

For months, the GBI, the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit, and several other law enforcement agencies planned Operation Golden Eagle. The goal was to identify those who engage in sexually explicit communication with children on the internet and arrange to meet them for the purpose of sex.

"We used our agents in an undercover capacity to go on the internet to identify those who are looking to exploit our children," said SAC Johnston.

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The GBI says investigators used various social media platforms.

"Social media applications, dating sites., the sites used in this operation were all sites you can get to, sites we use in our day-to-day lives," said SAC Johnston.

The GBI agents say 12 men from across north Georgia were arrested in the operation. Investigators say 11 of them drove to Bartow County believing they were meeting a child who they had been chatting with online.

"In this case, they’re actually dealing with an undercover officer, but they believe they’re dealing with a child," said SAC Johnston.

Those booked into the Bartow County Jail ranged in age from 24 to 64.

"There’s no single demographic involved, widespread, no socio-economic category these people are in," said SAC Johnston.

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Investigators say this should be a warning to others who think about committing crimes against children.

"Just know we’re out there and as long as Georgia has a robust Internet Crimes Against Children task force, this is a possibility when you do bad things on the internet.

The GBI says they also seized cellphones and computers. Investigators will be going through those, and there could be additional charges and arrests.