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State Police Announce Results of Operation Firewall
- MediaRelations
- 14 minutes ago
- 5 min read
FRAMINGHAM – Today, the Massachusetts State Police announced the results of Operation Firewall, a three-day, statewide operation that occurred last week. Developed by the State Police’s Division of Investigative Services, the Operation addresses the growing problem of possession, production, and sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), as well as child enticement and other illegal activity.
Over the course of three days, Operation Firewall resulted in arrests across 38 Massachusetts communities. Troopers executed 34 residential search warrants, seized 229 devices, and arrested 56 individuals ranging in age from 18 to 75. The defendants will face charges connected to child pornography, child enticement, as well as charges stemming from outstanding warrants for assault and battery of a child, rape of a child, and failure to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board.
“The Massachusetts State Police are working hard every day to keep our communities safe, especially our children,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Thank you to Colonel Noble, all of the troopers involved and our partners for their hard work to take these predators off the street.”
“The Massachusetts State Police remain committed to investigating crimes against children and holding perpetrators accountable,” said Colonel Geoffrey Noble. “Over several months, members of the State Police’s Division of Investigative Services used their training and skill to develop these cases. I commend the Troopers for their hard work to overcome the evasive tactics of suspects and build a comprehensive operational plan to safely remove predators from our streets.”
“Trooper-Investigators worked cross functionally over several weeks to develop Operation Firewall with the goal of making Massachusetts safer for our kids and their families,” said Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Tucker. “The Operation epitomizes the community safety objectives of the Department’s Excellence Initiative and illustrates the power of working together on behalf of our most vulnerable residents.”
Operation Firewall relied on the skill and technical expertise of several State Police Units, including the Cyber Crime Unit, the High Risk Victims Unit, the State Police Detective Units within each District Attorney’s Office, the Special Tactical Operations Team (STOP Team), and the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section. With the support of uniformed Troopers and Local Officers in the field, police executed dozens of residential search warrants, sting operations, and outstanding warrant arrests.
Many child pornography investigations stem from the growing number of Cyber Tips the Department receives from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding suspicious activity online. Under federal law (United States Code Title 18, Chapter 110, § 2258A), electronic service providers are required to submit a Cyber Tip Line Report with NCMEC when they recognize dangerous behavior. Troopers assigned to the Cyber Crime Unit within Division of Investigative Services review Cyber Tips to determine if the associated content violates Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272 § 29C (Possession of Child Pornography) and requires further investigation.
Since 2020, the number of Cyber Tips received by State Police has increased more than 270%. Last week alone, NCMEC reported 1,074 cyber tips for further investigation by the Cyber Crime Unit.
Troopers also coordinate investigations through the Massachusetts Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), one of more 60 coordinated task forces across the country dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to internet crimes against children. ICAC Task Force agencies are engaged in both proactive and reactive investigations, forensic examinations, and criminal prosecutions. By helping state and local agencies develop effective, sustainable responses to online child victimization, including responses to child sexual abuse images, the ICAC Program has increased law enforcement's capacity to combat technology facilitated crimes against children at every level.
In addition to child pornography offenses, Troopers assigned to the High Risk Victims Unit and Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section conducted missions as part of Operation Firewall to pursue and apprehend criminals who commit or attempt to commit a variety of sexual offenses with children, including contact, enticement, trafficking, and aggravated rape.
The State Police urge anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children anywhere is urged to report it to police by calling 911.
“Operation Firewall illustrates the important role of parents and caregivers to help meet the growing problem of child pornography and child enticement. Every parent in Massachusetts needs to know what’s on their children’s devices. They need to monitor who they’re speaking to online, and they need to set clear expectations that it’s never okay to create or share explicit material of yourself or another person,” said Colonel Noble. “As a father of three myself, I understand how difficult those conversations can be — but they are essential. When parents, teachers, coaches, mentors, and law enforcement work together, we create the firewall that keeps our children safe.”
Statements of Support:
“I want to thank all the state and local law enforcement agencies that worked together during this coordinated initiative to protect our children. This hard work is a great proactive step in our prevention efforts to keep our community safe.”
Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr.
“The Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office is grateful for the team approach with Massachusetts State Police to investigate and prosecute predators who prey on our children and those who exploit the most vulnerable in our communities.”
Cape & Islands District Attorney Rob Galibois
“The State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office works collaboratively with our state and local partners as members of the Massachusetts Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to find and prosecute the growing numbers of those who possess or disseminate child sex abuse materials. Operation Firewall is another example of that cooperation in the ongoing effort to stamp out a particularly heinous form of criminal behavior.”
Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey
“I am thankful to the Massachusetts State Police for dedicating resources to this past week’s operation. In the Berkshires, we have been running similar operations to this one since I started in office in 2023. This operation was exceptionally successful thanks to the statewide partnerships and dedication of resources. I began my career as a prosecutor in the Child Abuse Unit. This work has stuck with me and protecting and advocating for children is something I dedicated myself to. This kind of work is not easy. It is time-consuming, taxing, and requires an extraordinary level of care and precision; however, the results, keeping our children and our communities safe, make this difficult work well worth it. I commend all the State Troopers and detectives, and local law enforcement that supported them, on the success of their mission. The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to prosecuting cases of child abuse and exploitation to the greatest extent of the law.”
Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue
“We fully support the Massachusetts State Police conducting these important investigations. These crimes cause real harm to victims, and we commend the investigators for their dedication to holding offenders accountable and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community. Our office remains committed to working collaboratively with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure that those who exploit, harm, or endanger children are brought to justice.”
Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan
Media Contact: Tim McGuirk, 781 455 4343