OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Protecting our kids from online predators is now more important than ever, especially now that kids are online more because of the virus. An FBI-led investigation called Operation Kick Boxer is working to keep our kids safe from them.
The program is an undercover operation, just announced to the public a few weeks ago. The goal is to catch people who are exploiting children. So far, they’ve had success in arresting people from all over the world, including two here in northeast Wisconsin.
“I think we could call it an epidemic of child exploitation we're seeing in this country,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
In the last year, reports to the National Center for missing and Exploited children has more than doubled; receiving more than 2 million reports just this last March.
“We're very concerned about that,” Krueger said. “As children are spending more time online because of the pandemic, they’re becoming more used to different internet applications.
That’s why Krueger has been working with the FBI and Winnebago County Sheriff's Office to help stop online predators through this program.
“The effort from here in Wisconsin reached and has led to arrests around the world,” he said.
Those countries include Romania, France, Canada, United Kingdom and here in the U.S. In the last few weeks, two men have been arrested in northeast Wisconsin.
A 51-year-old Oshkosh man, Martin McKeever, is facing charges for possessing and distributing child pornography; and a 47-year-old man Ronald Ortega, from Indiana, is facing charges of using a computer to try and engage in sexual activity with a minor. Investigators said he drove to Oshkosh to meet up with a 15-year-old who was actually an officer.
“It often starts with something that seems like a casual encounter, sometimes posing as somebody that's not an adult, posing as another minor,” Krueger said. “Trying to build trust and convince the child to send a sexually explicit photograph.”
Ortega will be arraigned Thursday morning. McKeever is expected for a final pre-trial hearing August 17.
With more kids getting comfortable with technology, Krueger adds there are ways to help keep your children protected. That includes having a conversation about internet safety with your kids, educating them and monitoring their activity.
“Let them know any image, any video they send through the internet is going to be there permanently. There’s no real deletion on the internet.”
For more tips on what parents and kids should watch out for check out the slideshow below from Krueger’s office.
Protecting Your Kids From Online Predators by Abigail Hantke on Scribd
