PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — 31 men have been arrested and charged for alleged online sexual exploitation of children, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
The men were arrested in a state-run sting operation called Operation 24/7, created to battle what the attorney general's office called "the continued spike in reports of potential threats to children from online predators during the COVID-19 pandemic."
One suspect, Robert Reinhart, is from Telford, located in both Bucks and Montgomery counties. Reinhart, 52, faces three second-degree charges of attempted sexual assault, luring and human trafficking.
He is accused of offering $300 for sex with a 14-year-old girl. He also allegedly texted undercover detectives who claimed to be the girl's adult sister. The girl does not exist.
If found guilty on all three counts, he faces up to 30 years in prison.
All the other 30 suspects are from New Jersey. Authorities arrested the 31 suspects between April 1 and June 30.
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Ryan Olson, from Williamstown in Gloucester County, was one of those 30 New Jersey residents arrested. He faces accusations of offering money and prizes "in exchange for sexually explicit material, with more explicit photos and videos of the victims earning more points," according to the attorney general's office. Olson allegedly received a sexually explicit video from a 15-year-old girl before sharing an explicit photo of himself.
Olson, 20, faces charges of first degree manufacturing child sexual abuse material and three 3rd-degree charges: Sharing obscene material with a minor, impairing or debauching the morals of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material. If he is convicted on all four counts, he could be sentenced for up to 35 years in prison.
“Through these collaborative operations with the ICAC Task Force, we are working tirelessly to arrest child predators and those who exploit children by possessing and distributing child sexual abuse materials,” said Attorney General Gurbir Grewal in a statement.
“With young people continuing to spend more time on their electronic devices due to the COVID pandemic, we must remain vigilant. We urge parents and guardians to warn children about the threats that exist on social media and popular gaming sites, and to watch for signs that a child has been subjected to online abuse.”
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