01/06/2026
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01/06/2026
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WASHINGTON, Jun 1: FBI Director Kash Patel said in an internal weekly update that the bureau had a “successful week” in operations targeting child exploitation networks and violent offenders across the United States, highlighting multiple arrests, convictions, and rescue efforts.
According to Patel, FBI Dallas led “Operation Setoria” in coordination with state partners in Texas, resulting in the rescue of 87 children and the arrest of 273 individuals. He described the effort as part of broader nationwide actions against online predators.
He also cited additional cases across field offices, including arrests and convictions involving child exploitation and violent abuse cases in New Haven, Chicago, Detroit, and Nashville. Patel said FBI Houston secured a 33-year prison sentence in a case involving a suspect who allegedly targeted more than 100 children through social media.
The director further pointed to other operations, including “Operation Rare Beef” in Buffalo, which led to arrests and drug seizures, and “Operation VIPER” in St. Louis, resulting in 91 arrests of what he described as some of the city’s most serious offenders.
Patel also referenced a New Orleans investigation that led to a grand jury indictment in an alleged bomb plot linked to a militant group, as well as a Baltimore case involving fraud in disaster-relief loans totaling more than $9 million.
He concluded the update by praising agents nationwide, saying, “As always, keep getting after it.”
