Cmdr. Oliver Morris By Maire O’Neill
Los Alamos Daily Post
Los Alamos Police Cmdr. Oliver Morris expressed his appreciation Tuesday for the dedication and determination of members of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Los Alamos Daily Post
Los Alamos Police Cmdr. Oliver Morris expressed his appreciation Tuesday for the dedication and determination of members of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Cmdr. Morris’s comments followed the conviction of a Los Alamos man, David Rael, Monday on five counts of sexual exploitation of children resulting from an ICAC investigation.
Morris was the law enforcement case lead and testified during the June 15-16 trial as well as former Special Agent Lance Fails, Albuquerque Police Det. C.J. Brown who is on assignment to the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory and Special Agent Owen Pena, an ICAC task force member.
The ICAC task force has a fully-equipped computer lab specifically designed to provide forensic analysis to law enforcement agencies working ICAC cases and special criminal investigations throughout the state.
Morris, who was a sergeant during the initial investigation of Rael in 2013, said he has worked with SA Pena on several cases since then and is impressed with how diligently Pena and other agents pursued this case to the very end.
Monday, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced the results of Operation Broken Heart IV, a two-month, nationwide law enforcement sweep designed to arrest as many child predators as possible and provide as much cyber safety education as possible to children, parents and educators. During Operation Broken IV, the New Mexico ICAC Task Force served 100 search warrants, arrested 37 alleged predators, identified 19 child victims and rescued three additional children.
Balderas said his office and the 86 law enforcement ICAC task force members from throughout New Mexico have no higher priority than protecting children from dangerous predators. During Operation Broken Heart IV, more than 8,000 people participated in Internet safety and outreach events around the state.
During the initiative ICAC concentrated on offenders who possess, manufacture and distribute child pornography; engage in online enticement of children for sexual purposes; engage in child prostitution or engage in child sex tourism, which is traveling abroad for the purpose of sexually abusing foreign children.
To report suspected child exploitation call Crime Stoppers, 505.662.8282 or LAPD Dispatch, 505.662.8222. To contact the Office of the Attorney General, call 866.627.3249.
To contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, call 800.843.5678.
