Somehow in the context of the surveillance state I find myself arguing in favor of the FBI, but here goes: Child abuse is the least defensible crime that could

Somehow in the context of the surveillance state I find myself arguing in favor of the FBI, but here goes: Child abuse is the least defensible crime that could exist. As such, CP rings tend to be understandably paranoid and risk-averse. If anything appears to give the impression that they are being monitored, you can say goodbye to the arrest of another monster lurking in the shadows. That's why it's necessary to sting as many people at a time when the authorities get their chance, because once the window closes, anyone who gets away can either go off the grid or distribute in another ring, perpetuating their crime and thereby increasing demand for CP. It's pretty ugly to think about a federal agency knowingly distributing child pornography. I often wonder what kinds of psychological effects it has on the Bureau's agents. But child abuse is a horrible thing, and it is difficult to consider anything but the swift and absolute elimination (arrest and elimination from the network, not execution) of producers, distributors, and the abusers themselves.