Nationwide Operation ‘Restore Justice’ Rescues 115 Children, Arrests 205, Including 2 in Georgia

The Department of Justice (DOJ) today announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a nationwide coordinated law enforcement initiative that led to the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 individuals identified as child sex abuse offenders.

The five-day operation involved all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section within the DOJ’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices across the country.

As part of this operation, two individuals were arrested in the Southern District of Georgia and have been federally charged. Michael Alexander James, 44, of Waynesboro, GA, and Martin Lindner, 52, of Augusta, GA, were both indicted on one count of Possession of Child Pornography, according to Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Tara M. Lyons.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” stated Attorney General Pamela Bondi. She commended the FBI and their partners and directed prosecutors against negotiating with these offenders.

FBI Director Kash Patel added, “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us. Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons emphasized the link between possessing child pornography and the continued victimization of survivors, stating, “As exemplified in Operation Restore Justice, we will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to protect our most vulnerable citizens.”

The arrests made across the nation involved a range of alleged offenses, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. Examples cited by the DOJ include the arrest of a state trooper and Army Reservist in Minneapolis for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material in uniform, the arrest of an illegal alien in Norfolk, VA, accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex, and the arrest of a former Metropolitan Police Department officer in Washington, D.C., for alleged child sex trafficking.

The DOJ highlighted the crucial role of parental vigilance and community outreach in bringing some of these offenders to justice, citing the arrest of a California man just hours after a young victim disclosed abuse following an online safety presentation at a school in New York.

Operation Restore Justice follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores its ongoing commitment to protecting children, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.