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Idaho Investigators Become Marshals To Help Kids

Samantha Wright
/
Boise State Public Radio
Visitors to Idaho's Internet Crimes Against Children office are greeted with this sign. It's a reminder of the graphic nature of the crimes they work to solve.

Seven Idaho investigators, who spend their days tracking internet predators, just became United States Marshals to help kids in the Gem State.

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden’s office oversees the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. The members of the unit are on the front lines when it comes to the internet and sexual crimes that involve kids.

That unit works with state and local law enforcement and county prosecutors to find and prosecute cases involving online child exploitation.

After federal background checks and a swearing-in from Bart Davis, the U.S. Attorney for Idaho, seven people in the unit were cross-deputized as Marshals. That means each of those investigators can help file federal charges against suspects. And it will help the unit get federal search warrants.

That’s important when deciding whether to file charges in federal or state court. For some crimes, the federal charges can result in mandatory minimum sentences that the state doesn’t have on the books.

Find Samantha Wright on Twitter @samwrightradio

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As Senior Producer of our live daily talk show Idaho Matters, I’m able to indulge my love of storytelling and share all kinds of information (I was probably a Town Crier in a past life!). My career has allowed me to learn something new everyday and to share that knowledge with all my friends on the radio.

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