Justice Department announces results of Operation Restore Justice
205 child sex abuse offenders arrested in FBI-led nationwide crackdown, four facing charges in the Southern District of Illinois
EAST ST. LOUIS — The Department of Justice announced Wednesday, May 7, 2025, the results of Operation Restore Justice, a nationwide enforcement initiative aimed at identifying and arresting child sex offenders. Over five days, the FBI led a coordinated effort involving all 55 of its field offices, the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, resulting in the rescue of 115 children and the arrest of 205 individuals accused of child sexual abuse offenses.
In the Southern District of Illinois, four individuals face federal charges related to child sexual exploitation. Jared K. Galbraith, 38, of Belleville, is charged with sexual exploitation of children and transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, stemming from an incident in October 2024 involving travel from Alabama to St. Clair County. The sexual exploitation charge carries sentencing guidelines of 15 to 30 years in prison, while transportation with intent carries a minimum of 10 years.
Ryan G. Jones, 30, of Danville, faces one count of production of child pornography involving an 8-year-old minor in Williamson County, with sentencing guidelines ranging from 15 to 30 years. Trevor W. Yokley, 32, of Vandalia, is charged with attempting to entice a minor in Fayette and Effingham counties between January and April 2025; this charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment. Christopher A. Geisen, 44, of Pensacola, Florida, faces one count of transportation of child pornography involving a 12-year-old minor when he resided in Alton, Illinois, in October 2024; sentencing ranges from five to 20 years.
Additionally, the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Trafficking Enforcement Bureau arrested six individuals during a two-day operation targeting those seeking to engage in sex acts with minors in Madison County on April 23 and 24, 2025. Prosecutions are being handled by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the agency’s commitment, stating, “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten.”
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft condemned the offenders, calling child sex offenders “a moral disgrace” and affirming the Southern District of Illinois’s resolve to protect children and deliver justice. FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson highlighted the collaborative nature of the operation, saying, “There will be zero tolerance for those who commit crimes against our children. There will never be a lead we do not follow or door we do not knock on.”
Across the country, arrests involved various offenses, including production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement, transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. Examples include the arrest of a Minnesota state trooper and Army Reservist accused of producing child sexual abuse material while in uniform, and the apprehension of a former Metropolitan Police Department officer in Washington, D.C., charged with trafficking minor victims.
The operation coincides with National Child Abuse Prevention Month and supports Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation through coordinated federal, state, and local efforts. The Department also partners with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which operates a 24/7 hotline for reporting suspected child exploitation.
The FBI Springfield Field Office led investigations in Illinois with assistance from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Reppert, Ali Burns and Kim Arshi are prosecuting the cases.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected child exploitation through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), online at tips.fbi.gov, or by contacting local FBI offices.
Indictments and complaints are formal charges;all individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
