Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Announces 15 Arrests in Operation Hive Strike 

April 25, 2025

Salt Lake City, UT — The Utah Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced 15 arrests on Wednesday as a result of a four-day operation between April 14 and April 17.  

The Office of the Utah Attorney General (OAG) hosted a statewide undercover investigation called Operation Hive Strike to locate and apprehend individuals who were actively using the internet to sexually exploit children. Over 80 task force agents from 31 different federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies participated in the operation.  

Task force agents conducted undercover chat investigations on various social media platforms. They posed as minors to find individuals who sought to meet children in-person for sexual activity.  

Operation Hive Strike resulted in the arrests of 15 people, who face felony and misdemeanor charges that include but are not limited to the sexual exploitation of a minor, dealing in harmful materials to a minor, enticing a minor, aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, sodomy on a child, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a stolen firearm.  

The arrests occurred in Davis, Salt Lake, Summit, Utah, and Weber Counties.  

As part of the operation, ten residential search warrants were served at the homes of individuals who allegedly downloaded, viewed, and distributed child sexual abuse material.  

Parents are vital in teaching children about how to stay safe online. Parents can: 

• Educate children about the dangers of speaking to strangers online.  

• Use software and social media site settings to monitor children’s internet activity.  

• Teach children to not put personal information on the internet.  

• Have regular conversations about your children’s internet activity.  

The following agencies participated in Operation Hive Strike: American Fork Police Department (PD), AP&P Northern Region, AP&P Region III, Bluffdale PD, Carbon County Sheriff’s Office (SO), Cottonwood Heights PD, Davis County SO, Draper PD, Farmington PD, Grand County SO, Grantsville PD, Homeland Security Investigations, Orem PD, Lehi PD, Park City PD, Provo PD, Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, Riverdale PD, Riverton PD, Salt Lake City PD, Sandy PD, Sevier County SO, South Salt Lake PD, Taylorville PD, Summit County SO, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Utah County SO, West Jordan PD, and Wood Cross PD.  

To report any incidents regarding sexual exploitation of a minor, please contact the Utah ICAC Tip Line at 801-281-1211 or utahicac@agutah.gov