OAN Staff Blake Wolf
11:07 AM – Wednesday, May 7, 2025
FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest of 205 suspected child sex predators on Wednesday, along with the rescue of 115 children.
The joint operation, known as “Operation Restore Justice” was conducted by the FBI and the Justice Department, arresting a wide range of individuals — including a Minnesota state trooper, a D.C. police officer, and an illegal alien from Mexico.
“The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country,” the press briefing stated.
Bondi delivered her own remarks during the announcement.
“These depraved human beings, if convicted, will face the maximum penalty in prison, some [for] life,” Bondi stated. “We will find you. We will arrest you, and we will charge you. If you are online targeting a child, you will not escape us. The FBI and the Department of Justice will come after you. And we will prosecute you.”
Patel revealed that Minnesota State Trooper Jeremy Francis Plonski faces a minimum of 15 years in prison after he was arrested for producing child sexual abuse material while in uniform.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office has zero tolerance for public officials who violate federal laws—particularly those laws that protect vulnerable children from sexual abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Plonski took an oath to protect and serve our community. While donning his uniform, Plonski committed one of the most vile and predatory offenses imaginable. This is abhorrent—to Minnesota as a whole and to our law enforcement community in particular. I am proud of the swift and decisive action of law enforcement, who responded immediately and worked cooperatively to take Plonski into custody.”
Former D.C. police officer Linwood Barnhill, a convicted sex offender, was arrested for “sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; sex trafficking of children; coercion and enticement; transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; and interstate travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises.” Barnhill allegedly recruited children to engage in commercial sexual acts, which he made a financial profit from.
In addition, an unnamed Mexican illegal alien was arrested as well — being accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sexual reasons.
“No more,” Patel stated during the press conference. “If you harm our children, you will be given no sanctuary. There is no place we will not come to hunt you down. There is no place we will not look for you, and there is no cage, we will not put you in should you do harm to our children, the prioritization of this administration.”
In the press briefing, the agency continued to highlight more cases of child sex predators who have since been reprimanded.
Bondi went on to speak directly to parents throughout the nation, warning them of the dangers of child predators attempting to lure minors online.
“Parents, you have to know this is so serious, your child has no right to privacy on the internet, none,” she stated. “You have to monitor what your kids are doing, whether they’re playing games on the internet, on social media, any other websites that children and teenagers frequent, an online predator can find them.”
“I always say it’s from instant message to instant nightmare,” Bondi continued. “They’re predators. They pose as children. They get them sometimes to post explicit pictures of themselves after they talk to them, and then, in some cases, they even try to blackmail the children.”
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
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