TO CONTROL THE FIRE. NOBODY WAS HURT.
>>> THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING
AND REALLY THEY’RE DISTURBING.
EVERY MONTH IN HOUSTON, TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE SHARING
IMAGES OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.
>> THEY LIVE IN THE CITY, OUT IN
THE SUBURBS.
THE SUBURBS. NO NEIGHBORHOOD IS IMMUNE.
DETECTIVES ARE WRAP RAMPING UP
THE FIGHT USING NEW TECHNOLOGY
TO TRACK THE EXCHANGE OF CHILD
PORN AND ARREST THOSE
RESPONSIBLE.
RESPONSIBLE. >> TONIGHT INVESTIGATOR
ROBERT ARNOLD HAS A CLOSER LOOK
AT THEIR EFFORTS AND ADDITIONAL
STEPS THAT PARENTS NEED TO TAKE
TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪ >> THE ONE-STORY HOUSE,
THREE-BEDROOM.
THREE-BEDROOM. THE WHOLE REASON WE’RE HERE IS
FOR ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE.
SO THEY HAVE IT, SEIZE IT.
>> Reporter: A CHRISENT MOON
HANGS OVER A PRE-DAWN BRIEFING
IN THE KATY AREA.
THE TARGET IS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.
>> WE’RE LOOKING AT CELL PHONES,
LAPTOPS, iPADS, HARD DRIVES.
>> Reporter: THE WORK THAT LED
SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES TO THIS HOUSE
BEGAN ONLINE.
BEGAN ONLINE. >> CHASING A GUY WHO’S CHASING A
KID.
KID. >> I’M ALL OVER IT.
>> Reporter: GARY SPERRINGER
HEADS THE HARRIS COUNTY SHIVERS
HIGH-TECH -- SHERIFF’S OFFICE
HIGH-TECH CRIME UNIT.
>> IT’S AROUND 11 TO 12,000 IN
THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
PURE SHARING.
PURE SHARING. >> Reporter: PICTURES OR PEOPLE?
>> PEOPLE.
>> PEOPLE. >> Reporter: 11 TO 12,000
PEOPLE?
PEOPLE? >> ONLY ON ONE NETWORK.
>> Reporter: HOW MANY NETWORKS
REQUIRE MONITORING?
REQUIRE MONITORING? >> THERE’S SEVEN -- ARE YOU
MONITORING?
MONITORING? >> THEY’RE SEVEN OR EIGHT.
THERE’S 30,000 PEOPLE SHARING AT
ANY GIVEN TIME.
>> THAT’S A STUNNING NUMBER.
>> THAT’S A HUGE NUMBER.
THAT’S A HUGE PROBLEM.
>> Reporter: LOOK AT THIS
HOUSTON MAP.
HOUSTON MAP. EACH DOT REPRESENTS SOMEBODY
MAKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
AVAILABLE FOR SHARING.
>> THAT WAS IN THE FOUR HOURS
SINCE I GOT TO WORK THIS
MORNING.
MORNING. >> Reporter: PULL OUT WIDER TO
SEE THE ENTIRE U.S. AND IN
REALTIME, THESE RED DOTS SHOW
THE SHARING OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
IS CONSTANT.
IS CONSTANT. IMAGES OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY HAVE
A UNIQUE VALUE THAT ARE
CATALOGED IN A NATIONWIDE
DATABASE SHARED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
ENFORCEMENT. SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS PROWL THE
WEB LOOKING FOR THOSE VALUES.
>> WE’RE NOT LOOKING AT PEOPLE
DOWNLOADING THE FILES BECAUSE WE
CAN’T SEE THAT.
BUT WE CAN SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE
MAKING IT AVAILABLE TO SHARE.
>> Reporter: WHICH BRINGS US
BACK TO OUR RAID IN KATY.
THIS RAID ALSO SHOWS HOW
TIME-CONSUMING A SINGLE
INVESTIGATION CAN BE.
INVESTIGATORS SAY SOMEONE AT
THIS HOUSE WAS OFFERING TO SHARE
AT LEAST 300 IMAGES OF CHILD
PORNOGRAPHY.
PORNOGRAPHY. >> NOBODY IS GETTING ARRESTED
TODAY.
TODAY. WHY?
WHY? >> ALL WE HAVE IS EVIDENCE THAT
CRIME WAS BEING COMMITTED FROM
AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE AT THIS
RESIDENCE.
RESIDENCE. WE DID NOT KNOW WHO WAS
COMMITTING THE CRIME.
>> Reporter: THOSE IN THE HOME
ARE INTERVIEWED.
ARE INTERVIEWED. NONCONFESSED AND ALL THE
ELECTRONIC DEVICES SEIZED WILL
BE SCANNED.
BE SCANNED. HOW LONG BEFORE CRIMINAL CHARGES
WILL BE FILED.
>> IT WILL BE THREE OR FOUR
MONTHS.
MONTHS. >> Reporter: HE SAYS THE SOURCES
OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY RANGE FROM
COMMERCIALLY MADE IN THE
UNITED STATES AND OVERSEAS TO
FAMILY MEMBERS VICTIMIZING
RELATIVES.
RELATIVES. EACH IMAGE SHARED HUNDREDS IF
NOT THOUSANDS OF TIMES.
>> WE ALSO HAVE CHILDREN
UNFORTUNATELY WHO ARE MAKING
THEIR OWN CHILD PORN AND NOT
REALIZING IT.
REALIZING IT. >> Reporter: HE SAYS THAT CAN
ENTAIL A MINOR SNAPPING A NUDE
PHOTO OF THEMSELVES TO SEND TO A
BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND.
>> IT HITS ONE SCHOOL.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW IT’S ACROSS
FIVE OR SIX SCHOOLS.
THATMAN HAS BEEN REPLICATED A
THOUSAND TIMES.
THOUSAND TIMES. >> Reporter: THEY CAN BE SENDING
A RACY PHOTO TO SOMEONE THEY
TRUST ONLY TO HAVE IT USED AS
BLACKMAIL.
BLACKMAIL. >> IF YOU DO NOT SEND ME MORE,
I’M GOING TO TELL YOUR PARENTS.
THERE’S NOTHING WORSE THAN
LOOKING AT A PARENT AND A PARENT
TELLING YOU CAN YOU GET THIS OFF
THE INTERNET AND YOU HAVE TO
TELL THEM NO.
THERE’S NO COMING BACK.
>> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS SAY
COLLECTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IS
USUALLY A PRECURSOR TO A CHILD
BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THE
REAL WORLD.
REAL WORLD. THE AGE RANGE OF CHILDREN MOST
TARGETED BY PEDOPHILES ONLINE IS
BETWEEN 10 AND 17.
WE’VE GOT A BREAKDOWN OF THINGS
PARENTS CAN DO TO BETTER
SAFEGUARD THEIR CHILDREN ONLINE