IDAHO – Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador announced Tuesday that he will direct additional resources to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit.
Since the ICAC Unit was created in 2013, the number of referrals has increased tenfold, according to the AG’s Office. In 2013, the Unit has 223 referrals, compared to 2,304 in 2022. Currently there is a backlog of almost 1,500 referrals that need to be investigated.
“Idaho is facing an abhorrent attack on our children,” said Labrador. “As the internet has become more pervasive, predators have found a new and easier way to target our kids, and we are doing everything we can to stop this from happening in Idaho. Despite our office’s best efforts, we cannot do this alone, and we need local law enforcement’s help. I know our men and women in uniform share my dedication to protecting Idaho’s children, and I look forward to us taking coordinated action to stop this threat. From my first week in office, I said we will focus the people’s resources on prosecuting child exploiters and other serious criminals, and I plan to deliver on that promise.”
In a letter sent to law enforcement partners, Labrador announced he will assign two Deputy Attorneys General to the ICAC Unit. The Deputy Attorneys General will work with in-house attorneys to investigate and prosecute as many cases as they can responsibly handle.
