Maine Computer Crimes Investigators In Alton Looking Into Child Exploitation

Folks waking up in the small Eastern Maine town of Alton were met with the sight of at least half a dozen police cars and crime response vehicles Tuesday morning.

Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said authorities were there, set up near some mobile homes in the area, to look for evidence and information related to cyber crimes against kids.

"...the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit executed a search warrant in reference to an ongoing child exploitation investigation at a residence on Bennoch Road in Alton."

Moss said authorities had cleared the scene by late morning, and no traffic was impeded by the search.

For now, she said, there's not a lot of information to give, as it's an active investigation.

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According to a website run by the U.S. Government, the definition of "child exploitation" is as follows:

"Involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Online Exploitation. Involves the use of technology or the internet to facilitate the abuse or exploitation of a child. "

In Maine, the state's definition is even more specific, especially when it comes to the sexual exploitation of minors.

And, according to the United States Department of Justice, "It is important to note that an offender can be prosecuted under state child pornography laws in addition to, or instead of, federal law."

If you know of or suspect that a child is being exploited there are some folks you can reach out to, including the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the National Center For Missing And Exploited Children. 

We'll update this story as more details become available. You can be notified of updates via our app.