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82 arrested in FBI Wisconsin sex trafficking sting

Posted at 8:11 PM, Oct 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-20 00:58:07-04

The FBI announced Thursday that agents arrested 82 people across Wisconsin as part of the sex trafficking sting called Operation Cross Country XI. 

According to the FBI, two juveniles were recovered in Racine. 

Operation Cross Country is an annual law enforcement action aimed at recovering underage victims of prostitution. So far the operation has recovered 84 sexually exploited juveniles nation and led to the arrest of 120 traffickers.

The operation spanned four days, ending on Oct. 15. 

“We at the FBI have no greater mission than to protect our nation’s children from harm,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a news release. “Unfortunately, the number of traffickers arrested—and the number of children recovered—reinforces why we need to continue to do this important work.”

Locally, the FBI worked with a number of Wisconsin law enforcement agencies, including Milwaukee police, Sheboygan, Racine and Kenosha County Sheriffs’ Offices, Glendale police, West Allis police, Brown Deer police and Wisconsin State Patrol.