Alameda police have arrested a person who is allegedly involved in a child exploitation case first reported to officers by a non-profit advocating online safety for minors.
Alameda Police Department officers arrested the individual at the suspect’s workplace in Emeryville on Nov. 2, after several months of investigations stemming from a tipoff from the Wolf Project Inc., officers said Monday.
In June, the Wolf Project Inc., an organization focused on fighting child sex trafficking, sexual abuse, and sextortion, alerted Alameda police to an Alameda man’s “concerning’ online interactions with minors.
The organization encourages and trains civilians, dubbed “reapers,” to facilitate their own sting operations.
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Some of these actions included the sharing of explicit content and the maintaining of inappropriate online relations, police said.
As of now, Alameda police have identified several of the minors the male suspect was in communication with. The investigation is still ongoing, according to police.
Officers advised parents and guardians to talk with their children about online safety and the potential risks, and to take advantage of security and monitoring features that can help safeguard minors from online threats.
Neither the suspect’s name or place of employment were made public.
