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NEW YORK (AP) — A Customs official in New York says people who view child porn aren't just "unemployed drifters who live in their parents' basement."
Federal officials are accusing dozens of people in the New York City area -- including a police officer, a fire department paramedic, a rabbi, a nurse and a Boy Scout leader -- of using the Internet to collect and trade child pornography.
They were among at least 70 men and one women being charged after a five week operation by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigators.
Authorities say an alarming number of the defendants had access to young children, though there were no reports of abuse. The Boy Scout leader also coached a youth baseball team. The rabbi home-schooled his children and others. One man had hidden cameras that were used to secretly film his children's friends.
Agents seized nearly 600 desktop and laptop computers, tablets, smartphones and other devices. They're still examining the devices, looking for evidence -- and they say there could be more arrests.
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218-a-15-(James Hayes, special agent in charge, New York office of Homeland Security Investigations, at news conference)-"than unemployed drifters"-Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent James Hayes says the backgrounds of many of the defendants are shocking. (21 May 2014)
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217-a-10-(James Hayes, special agent in charge, New York office of Homeland Security Investigations, at news conference)-"exploitation of children"-Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent James Hayes says investigators found child porn collectors using search terms like child rape and pre-teen hardcore. (21 May 2014)
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APPHOTO NYJD107: Photos of some of the 71 individuals arrested are displayed, as part of Operation Caireen, a sweeping investigation into the anonymous trading of child porn over the Internet, are displayed during a news conference, Wednesday, May 21, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (21 May 2014)
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APPHOTO NYJD105: Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent James Haynes, far left, announces the arrest of 71 individuals as part of Operation Caireen, a sweeping investigation into the anonymous trading of child porn over the Internet, during a news conference, Wednesday, May 21, 2014, in New York. Haynes is joined by, left from Haynes, Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan, Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (21 May 2014)
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