East Texas man among those arrested in FBI's Operation Soteria for possession of child porn
VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — An East Texas man is among the 244 people arrested in connection to the FBI's Operation Soteria as they combat the exploitation of children in the digital space.
Firefighter injured after early morning Longview house fire
The Grand Saline Police Departmet received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about suspected child sexual abuse material uploaded on the internet.
During an investigation, officers discovered a suspect's residence and conducted a search warrant in April that resulted in several electronic devices being seized. Walter Lynn Baird was arrested on April 14 and charged with possession of child pornography, then charged with indecency with a child sexual contact on May 15, according to the police department.
Those inside the residence were questioned and Baird was taken into custody. According to officials, additional charges are possible and the investigation is still active.
Future of NASA Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine in question due to proposed budget cuts
'This case was part of Operation Soteria Shield, led by the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force,' the police department said. 'The task force received significant support from NCMEC throughout the operation. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of local, state, and federal agencies, Operation Soteria Shield resulted in the arrest of 244 child predators and the rescue of 109 children.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
2 campers found dead at Isle Royale National Park have been identified, officials say
Two campers found dead at Lake Superior's Isle Royale National Park have been identified, the National Park Service said Thursday. Officials said next of kin have been notified and that there is no known threat to the public. According to officials, at around 4 p.m. on June 8, two park rangers responded to a pair of separate reports of two people found dead at a campground near the Greenstone Ridge trail. The rangers hiked 11 miles overnight to the campground, arriving early Monday morning. When rangers arrived at the site, they found the bodies of two unidentified people. Due to the remote location of the campground within the park, a helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft were used in the investigation. On Wednesday, the FBI confirmed it was assisting in an investigation. The FBI says it routinely assists in investigations if requested, but this does not mean it will open an investigation. "FBI policy prohibits the confirmation of the existence of investigations, the release of information on investigations and any public report on the closing on an investigation," the agency said in a statement. Officials have not released the causes of death. An investigation is ongoing.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Campers who died on Isle Royale were at Lake Desor. Investigation ongoing
Isle Royale National Park on Thursday, June 12, said the individuals who were found dead at the park earlier this week have been identified and next of kin notified, but officials did not release their names publicly. "There is no known threat to the public at this time," park officials said in a release on June 12. The two individuals were found at South Lake Desor campground on Sunday, June 8. "Due to the remote location of the campground near Greenstone Ridge trail, a fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter were used to assist with transportation for the investigation," the release said. Lake Desor is located in the middle of the main Isle Royale island, closer to Windigo at the western end than to Rock Harbor in the east. According to the only access to the campground is by foot. Guests can stay up to two nights at the campground from June 1 until the Labor Day. There is no canoe/kayak/boat access. Park officials said "This remains an ongoing investigation, and we have no further information to provide." On Wednesday, June 11, the Federal Bureau of Investigation office in Detroit confirmed federal officials had visited Isle Royale National Park to investigate following the death of two campers at the remote Lake Superior campground. "I can confirm that members from the FBI in Michigan were present in Isle Royale National Park, located the northwestern region of Michigan's Upper Peninsula," said Jordan Hall, the Public Information/Media Coordinator for the FBI's field office in Detroit. In email to the Free Press, Hall said the FBI routinely assists law enforcement partners upon request, however it does not necessarily result in the FBI opening an investigation. "FBI policy prohibits the confirmation of the existence of investigations, the release of information on investigations and any public report on the closing on an investigation,' Hall said in an email to the Free Press. The park service received reports of two dead people at the backcountry campground in the park at about 4 p.m. Sunday, June 8, the park service said in a news release earlier this week. Rangers hiked about 11 miles overnight to the site and reached the scene the morning of Monday, June 9, and confirmed finding two bodies. Ground and aviation resources started responding to the scene on June 9, the park's initial release said. Isle Royale National Park is a group of islands in northwestern Lake Superior, north of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Isle Royale National Park is a park that consists of a large island surrounded by more than 450 smaller islands, preserving 132,018 acres of wilderness on 850 square miles. Opportunities for backpacking, hiking, boating, paddling, diving and more, are available on the park, the National Park Service says. Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Isle Royale camper fatalities identified. Names not released by NPS
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
British national pleads guilty to defrauding homeowners
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A British national accused of scamming homeowners in three states pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges Thursday in Providence as part of a plea agreement. Elijah Gavin, 29, faces a maximum sentence of 70 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.2 million. The U.S. Attorney's Office says Gavin was one of what the FBI calls Conmen Travelers, which are groups of Irish or U.K. nationals who swindle homeowners in a contracting scheme. Feds warn homeowners of 'traveling conman' scheme Court documents say Gavin claimed he was a contractor and used different aliases like 'Simon Kelly' and 'Timothy O'Reilly' to defraud homeowners in three states, including Rhode Island, where he targeted a 78-year-old widow. According to those documents, the woman paid Gavin more than $850,000 in separate checks for work he performed on the foundation and roof of her home in 2023. She later called police after her bank flagged a wire transfer Gavin had requested, saying his account 'dealt with Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies' and was not a construction company. Investigators used surveillance video of Gavin depositing money at a Providence ATM and a mugshot published by a U.K. news outlet to identify him. Upon seeing the booking photo, the victim reportedly pointed to the laptop and said, 'That's Tim!' Police took Gavin into custody in February. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland has had him listed as 'unlawfully at large' since 2022, when he went on the lam after being convicted of a number of offenses, including burglary, bodily harm and drug possession. Interview: Irish journalist on 'Traveling Conman Fraud' The plea agreement notes that Gavin may have the option to transfer his sentence abroad through the international prisoner transfer program. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September. Target 12 reached out to his attorney for a comment, but hasn't heard back. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
