Arizona authorities arrested 40 men in connection to child sex crimes as part of an inter-agency operation called "Behind the Mask," officials said Tuesday.
The men, ranging between 20 and 64 years old, were arrested on suspicion of charges that included luring a minor for sexual exploitation, aggravated luring a minor for sexual exploitation, child sex trafficking and attempted sexual conduct with a minor.
The operation was the result of a partnership involving the Tempe Police Department, Homeland Security, the FBI and the Attorney General’s office, as well as Phoenix, Messa and Scottsdale police.
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"Throughout the operational period, undercover detectives placed ads on websites commonly sought out by suspects seeking illegal sex acts," police told Fox 10 Phoenix. "The suspects reportedly solicited and/or brokered deals for various sex acts and were subsequently arrested."
The suspects could face additional charges related to drugs and money laundering, AZ Central reported.
Among those arrested was Kevin Lee Qualls, an employee of LOCALiQ, a USA TODAY Network division that provides digital marketing products for news sites including The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.
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"We find these allegations extremely concerning and are cooperating with the appropriate authorities," said a spokesperson for The Republic.
A full list of suspects and charges can be found here.