Marblehead Man's Arrest on Child Porn Charges Was Part of National Sweep

We've learned new context about last month's arrest of Marblehead's Ray DePaula on charges of making child pornography.

Homeland Security special agents and Marblehead Police arrested DePaula and charged him with production of child pornography. The arrest was part of a large sweep that netted the arrests of more than 250 alleged child predators. 

On June 13, Homeland Security Investigations agents and Marblehead police executed a search warrant and arrested DePaula, 39, for allegedly breaking state laws related to the production of child pornography. He was also charged with child rape. 

The investigation was part of Operation iGuardian, which resulted in the arrest of 255 child predators and was led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Internet Crimes Against Children task forces, according to a government statement. 

"Protecting our youth in the digital age requires all of us to be on the lookout for child predators abusing and extorting victims online," ICE Director John Morton said in the press release. "Children and parents need to understand that not everyone online is who they say they are. Child abusers prowl social media looking for opportunities to force young people into sexual exploitation through guile, deceit, and extortion. We want children to know that it’s wrong for any adult to solicit or pressure them for sex and that the law is on their side."

For more details on the charges against DePaula, please see our previous coverage of the story.