Operation Restore Justice Exposes Child Predators plus Largest Drug Seizure in US History

Summary

The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson: Operation Restore Justice Exposes Child Predators plus Largest Drug Seizure in US History

Release Date: May 8, 2025

Hosted by Ben Ferguson, The 47 Morning Update delivers incisive commentary on the latest political and national news, focusing particularly on the Trump administration's policies and initiatives. In this episode, Ferguson delves into two monumental stories: Operation Restore Justice, a crackdown on child predators, and the largest fentanyl seizure in US history orchestrated against the Sinaloa cartel.

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1. Operation Restore Justice: A Nationwide Crackdown on Child Predators

Overview: Operation Restore Justice is a comprehensive initiative led by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Cash Patel under the Trump administration. This five-day nationwide operation successfully apprehended 205 individuals involved in child sexual exploitation, resulting in the rescue of 115 children across the United States.

Key Points:

• Scope and Execution:

  • Involved all 55 FBI field offices, the Department of Justice Child Exploitation Section, and US Attorney's offices nationwide.
  • Targeted professionals in positions of public trust, including a Minnesota state trooper, an army reservist, and a former Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officer.

• Highlights of Arrests:

  • Jeremy Francis Plonsky (Minnesota State Trooper & Former Army Reservist): Arrested for producing child sexual abuse material while in uniform.
  • Jose Alexis Valdez Sosa (Virginia): An undocumented individual from Mexico arrested for transporting a minor across state lines for sexual purposes.
  • Linwood Barnhill (Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department): Formerly convicted sex offender re-arrested for exploiting additional victims during supervised release.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Ferguson [03:05]:
  "Why did our federal government not act sooner? Why did the Biden administration turn a blind eye on purpose to the horrific activities that were happening in this country that they knew about?"

• Pam Bondi [06:08]:
  "These depraved human beings, if convicted, will face the maximum penalty in prison, some life. We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will charge you."
  "Parents, you have to know this is so serious. Your child has no right to privacy on the Internet."

• FBI Director Cash Patel [08:00]:
  "If you harm our children, you will be given no sanctuary. There is no place we will not come to hunt you down."

Insights and Analysis:

• Administration's Stance: The Trump administration positions this operation as a direct response to perceived inaction by the previous Biden administration. Ferguson underscores a narrative of renewed vigilance and commitment to child protection under Trump's leadership.

• Public Safety Emphasis: Both Bondi and Patel stress the critical importance of parental vigilance in monitoring children's online activities, highlighting the manipulative tactics of online predators.

• Collaborative Effort: The operation exemplifies a coordinated effort between various federal agencies and organizations like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, showcasing a unified front against child exploitation.

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2. Largest Fentanyl Seizure in US History: Sinaloa Cartel's Dismal Impact

Overview: In a landmark achievement, federal authorities executed the largest fentanyl seizure in U.S. history, dismantling a major distribution network operated by the Sinaloa cartel. This operation not only removed a significant quantity of lethal drugs from American streets but also exposed the pervasive influence of the cartel within the United States.

Key Points:

• Details of the Seizure:

  • Amount Seized: 11.5 kilos of fentanyl and approximately 3 million fentanyl-laced pills falsely labeled as oxycodone.
  • Additional Seized Items: $5 million in cash, 35 kilos of methamphetamine, 7.5 kilos of cocaine, 4.5 kilos of heroin, and 49 rifles and pistols.

• Cartel Leadership:

  • Alberto Salazar Amaya: Leader of the Sinaloa cartel's U.S. operations, residing illegally in Salem, Oregon.
  • Operation Geography: The cartel's operations spanned Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Utah, demonstrating their extensive reach and insulation strategies.

• Methodology:

  • Over 55,000 hours of law enforcement investigation culminated in the seizure, indicating the complexity and danger involved in combating the cartel's operations.

Notable Quotes:

• Pam Bondi [12:51]:
  "The DEA seized 11.5 kilos of fentanyl, including an astounding approximately 3 million fentanyl pills, the largest seizure in our nation's history."
  "These pills were stamped as oxycodone. Let that sink in. Three million pills going on our streets."

• Ben Ferguson [15:06]:
  "This historic drug seizure led by the DEA is a significant blow against the Sinaloa cartel that removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl."

Insights and Analysis:

• Public Health Crisis: The seizure underscores the dire state of the opioid epidemic, with fentanyl being the primary cause of overdose deaths among Americans aged 18 to 34.

• Law Enforcement Prioritization: Bondi emphasizes the Trump administration's commitment to tackling drug cartels, contrasting it with the previous administration's alleged leniency which provided sanctuaries to these organizations.

• Community Safety: The operation not only disrupts the cartel’s supply chain but also serves as a stern warning to other drug traffickers about the administration’s resolve to eradicate illegal drug distribution.

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Concluding Remarks

Ben Ferguson wraps up the episode by reaffirming the Trump administration’s dedication to law and order, highlighting the collaborative efforts between the Attorney General’s office, the FBI, and local law enforcement in combating heinous crimes against children and the nation’s health. He encourages listeners to remain vigilant and informed, emphasizing the administration's proactive stance in safeguarding American families and communities.

Final Notable Quote:

• Ben Ferguson [15:06]:
  "The Trump administration is not going to turn a blind eye to this, and they are going after these predators wherever they are."

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Subscription Information: Stay informed and ahead by subscribing to The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson on the iHeartRadio app or your preferred podcast platform. New episodes are released daily, Monday through Saturday.

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Disclaimer: The information presented in this summary is based on the transcript provided and reflects the perspectives and statements made by the speakers during the podcast episode released on May 8, 2025.

Transcript

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[Pam Bondi]

You can't comprehend that cities and states would be so demented to do something like this to let these violent criminals trend is a terrorist organization. Sinalo is a terrorist organization. Ms. 13 is a terrorist organization.

[Cash Patel]

You're listening to the 47 Morning UPD with Ben Ferguson.

[Ben Ferguson]

Good Thursday morning. Nice to have you with us on the 47 Morning Update. Ben Ferguson with you. And we have two major stories for you this morning coming from the Trump administration, the Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI Director, Cash Patel announcing the results of Operation Restore Justice, a nationwide initiative targeting sex child predators. And the big question is, how were there so many people to catch and why did the Democrats do nothing to stop this when they were in charge? We'll have the details on that story for you first. Also, in another massive win, the Sinaloa cartel was behind the largest fentanyl seizure in US History. And the Trump administration is letting Americans know to be careful of the pills on the black market as the Sinaloa cartel is flooding America at record rates with drugs that are killing Americans. It's the 47 Morning Update and it starts right now.

[Cash Patel]

Story number one.

[Ben Ferguson]

The question every American should be asking themselves right now is this. Why did our federal government not act sooner? Why did the Biden administration turn a blind eye on purpose to the horrific activities that were happening in this country that they knew about? Well, thank goodness. With Donald Trump's leadership and the Attorney General, Pam Bondi and the FBI Director, Cash Patel, they have announced the results of Operation Restore justice, something that could have been done under the last administration. It's a nationwide initiative targeting child sex predators and over a five day period, the operation led to the arrest of 205 individuals. And the most heartbreaking part of all is the rescue of 115 children across the United States of America. The scope of the operation was incredible. The operation involved all 55 FBI field offices, the Department of Justice Child Exploitation section, and the US Attorney's offices nationwide. Again, why did the Democrats and the Biden administration not protect these children? There was also some shocking arrests, including a Minnesota state trooper and an army reservist that was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while in uniform. Also, a former Metropolitan Police Department Department officer in Washington, D.C. previously convicted of sex offenses, was charged with exploiting additional victims while on supervised release. And that's not all. An undocumented individual from Mexico was arrested in Virginia for allegedly transporting a minor across state lines for sexual purposes. I go back to the original question. Why did our federal government and the Biden administration purposely look the other way while they knew this was going on? Luckily, Pam Bonnie, the Attorney General, had this to say about the operation.

[Pam Bondi]

What I will tell you is these depraved human beings, if convicted, will face the maximum penalty in prison, some life. We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will charge you. If you are online targeting a child, you will not escape us. The FBI and the Department of Justice will come after you and we will prosecute you. Parents, you have to know this is so serious. Your child has no right to privacy on the Internet. None. You have to monitor what your kids are doing, whether they're playing games on the Internet, on social media, any other websites that children, teenagers frequent. An online predator can find them. I always say it's from instant message to instant nightmare. Parents, they're talking to your kids like they're other children and not they're predators. They pose as children. They get them sometimes to post explicit pictures of themselves after they talk to them, and then in some cases, they even try to blackmail the children. The suicide rate among teens ages 14 to 17 has increased as a result of this as well, because teens are taken advantage of and they're manipulated online by child predators. So all of you being here today and covering this is so important because parents need to know you've got to talk to your kids. They think they're talking to other children, but most of the time they're not.

[Ben Ferguson]

And that's not all. A major warning coming from the FBI Director, Cash Patel, as he highlighted the operations message, making it clear, we're coming for you if you are harming children. Here's what he had to say as well.

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As the FBI Director, I'm humbled to leave some of the brightest men and women in law enforcement. And I want to thank our 55 field offices, our 90 plus United States Attorneys offices, our SEOs section, our Crim Division here at the Department of Justice, and our field offices throughout the country with lawyers and prosecutors and agents working tirelessly on some of the harshest criminality we've ever seen. They don't take breaks because our children deserve a free and open society. I also want to just take a moment to emphasize the priority of this Department of Justice and this FBI. Our children. If you harm our children, you will be given no sanctuary. There is no place we will not come to hunt you down. There is no place we will not look for you. And there is no cage we will not put you in should you do harm to our children. The prioritization of this administration and General Bondi has made it abundantly clear to child predators, you will be hunted down and you will be prosecuted. And that is a refreshing thing to hear for the men and women who do this work tirelessly. And it's also an acknowledgement of the safety that we look forward to bringing America. As the attorney general mentioned, there are a couple of cases worth highlighting. People in places of public trust have violated not only the law, but that public trust, to include teachers, law enforcement personnel, and other professionals that we look to safeguard. Our children, have not only violated the law, but violated the trust. In Minneapolis, defendant Jeremy Francis Plonsky, a Minneapolis state trooper and former army reservists, was arrested for producing child sexual abuse material while in uniform. Not anymore. In Norfolk, Virginia, defendant Jose Alexis Valdez Sosa, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, again allegedly arrested for transporting a minor across state lines. No more. Another example right here in Washington, D.C. in the metropolitan Police Department, Officer Linwood Barnhill, a former already convicted sex offender, was arrested again for exploiting more victims, more children, more while on supervised release. These are just three examples that show you the extent and the depravity of these horrific crimes. And we need to team up together with the American public to find the rest. I want to give a special thanks to the national center for Missing and Exploited Children for the tireless work they do in partnering with us. And again, I want to thank the Department of Justice and all these folks here. And Pam, thank you for never wavering to defend our children.

[Ben Ferguson]

Now, this operation is not over. It is part of Project Safe Childhood. It's a DOJ initiative launched to make sure that we combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The DOJ is collaborating with the national center for Missing and Exploited Children, and they are encouraging you, the public, to report suspected exploitation through established hotlines and online reporting tools. One thing is for sure, the Trump administration is not going to turn a blind eye to this, and they are going after these predators wherever they are.

[Cash Patel]

Next, story number two, the White House.

[Ben Ferguson]

Has made it very clear that when it comes to law and order, they are a full court press and a team that is working together, whether it's the attorney General's office, the FBI and local law enforcement. And now we have the largest fentanyl seizure in US History tied to the Sinaloa Drug cartel. The Attorney General coming out and saying a cell of the Sinaloa Cartel operated in four major US Cities. The cartel conducted a large scale drug distribution operation throughout the western part of the country that led federal authorities to the largest fentanyl seizure ever. There was an illegal alien from Mexico that led the group in the US and the group ran one of the largest fentanyl and drug distribution networks the country has ever seen. Documents from the U.S. department of justice are now revealing the Sinaloa cartel boss running this fentanyl empire as it was described today from Oregon. That should tell you everything you need to know. Oregon sanctuary policies kept this man safe. Pam Bondi making it clear in her statements that this is a problem and it's taking the lives of countless Americans. The number one killer of fentanyl in this country is those between the ages of 18 and 34. And she had a warning for the American people to tell your kids and your grandkids about fake pills that are hitting the markets at record pace.

[Pam Bondi]

The DEA seized 11.5 kilos of fentanyl, including an astounding approximately 3 million fentanyl pills, the largest seizure in our nation's history. These are the pills in the bags right there. The main, bottom right. The head of this organization, Sinaloa Organization, here in the country illegally. Six of these guys and women here in the country illegally. His name is Alberto Salazar Amaya. He is the leader and he was living in Salem, Oregon. With him they got millions of dollars, cash, cars. But the drugs were in Albuquerque, Phoenix and Utah. That's how insulated these drug dealer cartel leaders make themselves. This was an incredible operation and that's why I wanted all of you here behind me. It took months and months of work, investigation leading up to smaller buys, smaller cases to get this massive amount of drugs and guns off our streets. $5 million approximately in cash. 35 kilos of methamphetamine, 35 kilos of meth, 7.5 kilos of cocaine, 4.5 kilos of heroin, 49 rifles and pistols, all shown in the pictures. And then of course, the 3 million pills. These pills were stamped as oxycodone. Let that sink in. Three million pills going on our streets. Three million pills, the streets of our country laced with fentanyl labeled as oxycodone. And they were in all different strengths of fentanyl within them. This operation was made possible by over 55,000 hours of law enforcement investigation. And this is a really dangerous job that these DEA agents face every day. But they are getting very dangerous drugs off of our streets each day.

[Ben Ferguson]

As Pam Bondi said, this historic drug seizure led by the DEA is a significant blow against the Sinaloa cartel that removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl. The Attorney General also making it clear that she has the Trump administration behind her saying that we must continue to fight these cartels that have been declared by Donald Trump a terrorist organization, a designation that should have been done years ago by the Biden administration, but instead Democrats are giving them sanctuary in their cities.

[Cash Patel]

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

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[Bob Pittman]

And CEO of iheartmedia. On this week's episode of Math and Magic, I'm sitting down with the one and only Bobby Bones. We're exploring the power of audio.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I don't fit into one specific hole. I think that is what endeared me to listeners. That's why I'm here now, because I talk to people that grew up like me, have sensibilities like me, and have loyalties like me.

[Bob Pittman]

Listen to Math and magic stories from the frontiers of Marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidenc. It became known as the Iran Contra Affair.

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