Full Notification

DATE/TIME: Saturday, April 5, 2025, through Saturday, April 19, 2025.
 
INCIDENT: Operation Spring Cleaning
 
LOCATION: Multiple locations across San Bernardino County 
 

SUMMARY:  During a two-week span, from Saturday, April 5, 2025, through Saturday, April 19, 2025, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department conducted Operation Spring Cleaning throughout San Bernardino County.  Operation Spring Cleaning was a regional, Internet Crimes Against Children Operation, focused on identifying and arresting predators who use the internet to facilitate the sexual abuse of children, to rescue children from predators and to ensure registered sex offenders were compliant with their registration requirements.

During the operation over 480 compliance checks were conducted on registered sex offenders which resulted in multiple arrests for PC 290, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.  Over 30 residential search warrants were conducted which resulted in multiple arrests for PC 311.11, Possession of Child Pornography, PC 311.1(a), Distribution of Child Pornography and PC 29800(a)(1), Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  Detectives conducted multiple Undercover (UC) Chat Operations in which law enforcement officers created and maintained online personas on popular social media sites and waited for suspects to engage in criminal, lewd, sexual behavior with the underage UC personas, which resulted in multiple arrests.  The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department rescued multiple children from ongoing abuse.  At the conclusion of the operation, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department arrested and/or obtained arrest warrants for 73 suspects throughout San Bernardino County, for the below sexual offenses with child victims. 

        PC 290 – Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
        PC 261 – Rape
        PC 288(a) – Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Minor Under 14 Years Old
        PC 288.3(a) – Contacting a Minor for Lewd Purpose
        PC 288.4(a)(1) - Arranging to Meet a Minor for the Purpose of Committing a Sex Crime
        PC 288.4(b)(1) – Arranging to Meet with a Minor for Purposes of Committing a Sex Crime and Went to the Meeting Place at the Arranged Time
        PC 311.11(a) – Possession of Child Pornography
        PC 311.1(a) – Distribute Child Pornography
        PC 29800(a)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Anyone with information related to out of compliance sexual offenders or additional information regarding the operation, are asked to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department at (909) 387-8313. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-888-78-CRIME, or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com. 

Station: Specialized Investigations Division – Crimes Against Children Detail

Phone No. (909) 890-4904

SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department