Two Arkansas State Police (ASP) investigators participated in an international operation aimed at identifying children depicted in sexual abuse material, contributing to 182 investigative referrals to law enforcement agencies worldwide, according to a news release issued Thursday.
Sgt. Corwin Battle, who leads the Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Special Agent Roy Moomey of the ASP Criminal Investigation Division joined the weeklong operation hosted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria, Virginia. The initiative brought together 40 victim identification specialists representing local, state, federal, and international law enforcement agencies.
During the operation, participants reviewed more than 400 series of child sexual abuse material to uncover information that could help identify victims. These reviews resulted in 83 domestic referrals and 99 international referrals for further investigation, state police reported.
“Bringing investigators and forensic examiners together allows us to share expertise, connect information across jurisdictions, and develop leads that may help identify a child,” Sgt. Battle said in a statement. “The Arkansas State Police is committed to working alongside our partners to move these investigations forward and help bring victims closer to safety.”
The task force included representatives from INTERPOL, the Australian Federal Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency. In addition, specialists reviewed over 570 other series of material potentially connected to previously submitted CyberTipline reports. These assessments determined whether children in the material had already been identified or if new efforts were required.
The Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, overseen by ASP, works to combat the sexual exploitation of children through proactive investigations, public education, and collaboration with national and international partners.