Nationwide FBI raids have been cracking down on child prostitution, including right here in Louisiana.
Law enforcement agencies, in a three-day child prostitution sweep called "Operation Cross Country," made more than 150 arrests. Another 105 children have been rescued.
Six girls were rescued from Louisiana, including two from Baton Rouge and four from New Orleans.
In New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Alexandria and Shreveport, arrests were also made for prostitution. Statewide, there were 76 arrests.
"This operation targeted venues where girls and adults are operating for commercial sex," said Ronald Hosko, Assistant Director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division. "That includes street tracks, truck stops, motels casinos, internet sites, social media platforms and the like."
Almost all the children recovered in the FBI's operation were girls ranging in age from 13 to 17 years old.
"All the child victims identified we're removed from dangerous environments and relocated to safe settings," Hosko said.
"Over 12,000 law enforcement officials from 450 different agencies who have participated in these operation cross country efforts over the last five or six years, we do care," Hosko said. "Our goal is to get these young girls into some form of treatment and to help them reshape their lives and reclaim their innocence to the extent they can."