Aussies Busted for Running Pedophile Ring 45,000 Strong

Queensland’s Taskforce Argos targeting child abuse disclosed a clandestine pedophile ring, saving potentially hundreds of children from sexual exploitation, reports the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Members of the ring residing in Australia, Europe, United Kingdom and the US ranked inside the network in accordance with the quantity and originality of materials they uploaded for common use inside the site. The name of the network, using encryption software to hide identities and mask people’s browsing history, has not been publicly disclosed by a South Australian District Court.

Investigation of a global child abuse led Argos to Australian national ringleader, who turned out to be Families SA (South Australia) employee Shannon McCoole from Adelaide. He was childcare worker with the agency from 2011 to 2014.

McCoole was busted thanks to the unusual ‘hiya’ greeting he used on the web, which led to police finding a Facebook page with a photograph of a Volkswagen four-wheel drive utility with a visible registration plate, which in turn led them to McCoole.

“He was a 32-year-old male. Lived alone, no real relationship or no recent partners from what we’ve gathered,” the ABC cited Detective Brevet Sergeant Stephen Hegarty of SA’s Sex Crimes Investigation Branch. And the man “immersed himself in child-related work” as well.

[more…]