The Bedford County Sheriff's Office has earned widespread praise and recognition for taking a front line position in the battle against those who use the Internet to exploit children.  With the full cooperation of and assistance from the Bedford County Commonwealth's Attorney, Randy C. Krantz, Sheriff Mike Brown has assembled a Task Force, dedicated to tracking and arresting those who create, market and distribute child pornography as well as those who solicit minors for illicit purposes.  Sheriff Brown is also responsible for coordinating the cooperative effort between law enforcement agencies on every level.

  Sergeant Sergio Kopelev was Bedford County's first "Cybercop," initially working the Internet only about 12 hours a week:  "surfing" the 'Net posing as a child or a pedophile, "chatting" with child pornographers and other sexual predators, and accumulating evidence and building cases.

  In 1998, the Bedford County Sheriff's Office unveiled Operation Blue Ridge Thunder, the code name for the undercover cyberspace patrol in an effort to crack down on child pornography distributed over the Internet and other computer-related crimes.  Although this Unit is relatively new, its successes have garnered the attention of local, national and international media... and that of the U.S. Dept. of Justice which, in October 1998, awarded the BCSO a $200,000 grant to continue their efforts.  The BCSO was one of only ten law enforcement agencies in America to receive such grant money and is by far the smallest agency of the ten.  U.S. Dept. of Justice

Today, Operation Blue Ridge Thunder has grown to include a supervisor, two full time investigators, an analyst, and a capable, comprehensive Task Force who blend their talents and resources to fight child exploitation on the Internet.  Interest from all over America and the entire state of Virginia has generated additional manpower and Internet hours from law enforcement agencies in other locales, the Virginia State Police, the F.B.I., U.S. Customs, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Through this initiative, Sheriff Mike Brown's mission is "to weave a seamless web of protection around our children," not only in Virginia, but across the nation.  As a result, Operation Blue Ridge Thunder is proactive and is diligently working to apprehend perpetrators, protect potential victims, and educate parents, teachers and children.

There are laws on the International, Federal and State levels prohibiting child abuse, child pornography and child exploitation, including the U.S. Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996, and U.S.C. 18.  While laws governing such may vary from locale to locale and jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the Internet has virtually erased geographic borders, making it increasingly easier for those who would commit crimes against children to do so.  Distance and time are also eliminated, allowing sexual predators to "contact" fellow child abusers and exploiters -- and children -- on an instant basis.  Regardless of where you live, child pornography is alive and well and readily available over the Internet.  Regardless of where you live, a sexual predator can reach into your home and contact anyone in your household via the Internet.