BLAINE, MN — Blaine police said 24 people were arrested after a two-day undercover operation aimed at adults allegedly trying to arrange paid sexual contact with people they believed were minors. Investigators said they exchanged messages with 368 people who responded to an online advertisement during the operation.
The police department said the effort involved multiple agencies, though it did not identify the partner departments or release the names of those arrested.
How the Operation Worked
According to police, investigators posed online as underage individuals and documented conversations with people who replied to the ad. The department said the setup was meant to identify adults seeking illegal sexual contact with juveniles and to intervene before any harm could occur.
Authorities said the public information does not show that an actual child took part in the online exchanges. Police also did not say which website or platform carried the advertisement or where the arrests took place.
What Police Released
Blaine police said the 24 arrests came from alleged offers to pay for illegal sexual conduct with someone the suspects believed was a minor. Several of those arrested were described as repeat offenders, and one was identified by police as a registered sex offender.
The department did not provide the prior cases behind those descriptions or list specific charges. Police also did not say whether all 368 people who responded were suspected of crimes.
What Happens Next
An arrest does not mean a person has been found guilty, and police said charging decisions will be made separately by the appropriate prosecutor. The department has not said which county or federal offices are reviewing the cases, and it is not clear whether every arrest will lead to charges or whether some people could face more than one count.
Police said the case underscores the risks children face online and urged parents to talk with kids about privacy, secrecy, requests for sexual material and attempts to move conversations to private platforms. Suspected online exploitation can be reported to local law enforcement or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.
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