WASHINGTON - The FBI has rescued 48 suspected teenage prostitutes, some as young as 13, in a nationwide sweep to remove children from the illegal sex trade and punish their pimps.
Over a three-night initiative called Operation
The teenage prostitutes found in the investigation ranged in age from 13 to 17.
"We may not be able to return their innocence but we can remove them from this cycle of abuse and violence," said FBI Director Robert Mueller.
Meanwhile, in Memphis, a man pleaded guilty yesterday to federal civil rights charges for sex trafficking in minors. Leonard Fox faces at least 10 years in prison after admitting that he arranged for underage girls to engage in sex for money.
"To sexually prey upon young girls in this manner for financial gain is particularly damaging to the victims and an affront to the society in which we live," said Loretta King, acting head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
Historically, federal authorities rarely played a role in anti-prostitution crackdowns, but the FBI is becoming more involved as it tries to rescue children caught up in the business. "The goal is to recover kids. We consider them the child victims of prostitution," said FBI Deputy Assistant Director Daniel Roberts.
