OxfordPress.com

LEBANON — Warren County police will begin patrolling the Internet to find adults who try to make computer connections with children for sex.

On Thursday afternoon, county officials announced they're starting a Cyber Crime Task Force made of up officers from community police departments across the county.

Leading the new group will be Lt. Jeff Braley of Hamilton Twp., who made national news in 2007 when he arrested a suspected predator at the statehouse in Columbus while testifying before legislators about how the Internet is used by adults to find and meet children.

One in five children who use computer chat rooms have been solicited by adults seeking sex and only one of four solicitations are reported to police, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Braley said he has 118 open cases based on one screen name or alias used by an adult in chat rooms.

"When we start thinking about what happens online, it's pretty amazing," he said.

The new police task force also will seek to educate residents about the dangers of the Internet.

"Parents need to understand what can happen on-line," Braley said. "We haven't seen the depths some of these people will sink to yet."

Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said that $28,000 from the Warren County commissioners will be used to purchase equipment and pay for overtime for officers working on the task force. Braley plans to build a computer lab specifically for Internet investigations

The county officials announced their Cyber Crime Task Force in front of photos of seven men who police said solicited minors in the area.

"Society needs to know if you go and meet of our children for sex, you won't like the outcome," county Commissioner Dave Young said. "We in Warren County are taking a stand."

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.