FBI has trained agents, resources to fight back against crime against children
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The FBI is seeing an increase in cases involving crimes against children both locally here in the El Paso region but nationally as well, said the FBI El Paso's top agent.
But the FBI has specially trained agents and resources to fight back against crimes against children, said John Morales, special agent in charge for FBI El Paso.
'Children are our most vulnerable victims,' said Morales during a visit to the KTSM 9 News studio on Monday, March 31.
With parents so busy these days with work and children having easy access to social media and gaming platforms, crimes against children 'are a crime of opportunity,' Morales said.
'Unfortunately, there are a lot of opportunities here, nationally and internationally across the world,' he said.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Morales visited KTSM to talk about how parents can keep their children safe in this busy world but also how the FBI can help.
'Be present. Be aware,' Morales said.
'It is very easy, as busy as we are coming and going from work, to let an iPad, to let a telephone, to let the TV, be our child's babysitter,' Morales said.
Morales said that when he was a kid, his parents were worried about who might come in through a window or door.
'Nowadays, that villain, that individual who wants to do harm, is coming in through your iPhone, is coming in through your iPad or is coming in through your laptop,' he said.
'Wherever your child is sitting, he is exposed to these individuals who are actively looking for an opportunity to exploit and harm our children,' Morales said.
The FBI El Paso field office, like all FBI offices around the country, has a special Violent Crimes Against Children program.
'They are dedicated to working day in and day out with our local partners, along with our national and international partners, to safeguard our well-being of our children,' he said.
Another resource is the special Rapid Deployment team that can respond to child abductions around the country in less than 24 hours, Morales said.
This team has technical resources, uses specialized interviewing techniques and offers an array of victims services. They can help local partners in a child abduction case or assist the FBI in its own investigations.
Morales urges people to be aware and report anything suspicious that you see.
'Don't wait, thinking someone else will report it,' he said. 'If you see it, report it.'
The FBI has a couple of hotlines — 1-800-THE-LOST and locally, (915) 832-5000 — that you can report child abductions and other suspicious activity.
Here is a link to how the FBI responds to violent crimes against children.
Here is a link to how the FBI responds to sextortion cases. Sextortion involves children and teens being threatened and coerced into sending explicit images online.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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