The FBI launched a three-day law-enforcement sting in 57 cities last weekend that resulted in the arrest of 104 alleged pimps and the rescue of 79 children from prostitution.

CNN is reporting that the sting, called Operation Cross Country, took place from Friday, June 22 through Sunday, June 24 and involved 2,500 state, local and federal officers. Children ranging in age from 13 to 17 years old were rescued from their “handlers,” with one child admitting she had been involved in prostitution since the age of 11.

“Many times the children that are taken in these types of criminal activities are children that are dissaffected, they are from broken homes, they may be on the street themselves,” said said FBI Acting Executive Assistant Director Kevin Perkins.

“They are really looking for a meal, they are looking for shelter, they are looking for someone to take care of them, and that’s really the first approach that’s made” by the people who will eventually exploit them into prostitution.  

But once these children are rescued, “that’s where the real work starts,” he said.  “These children are very damaged – very harmed, and they need a great deal of help – it’s really taxing the social welfare agencies and it’s something that, going forward, we need to pay particular attention to.”

Sadly, many of these children can be lured back into prostitution, which is why they’ll need specialized help.

As for the people who exploited them, Perkins says they are mostly engaged in organized crime and have business plans and strategies. They know their market and move children from state to state to service their clientele. The criminals use various methods to find vulnerable children, such as the Internet. They also stake out bus stations or truck stops used by runaways and quickly offer them help and friendship to win their confidence.

The latest sting is part of the FBI’s Innocence Lost National Initiative which began in 2003 and has since rescued more than 2,200 exploited children and convicted more than 1,000 criminals.

But authorities have a long way to go before cleaning up this despicable crime ring that can be found in just about every city or town in the U.S.  According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, at least 100,000 American kids get lured into prostitution every year.

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