FBI arrests two in New Mexico as part of nationwide child exploitation crackdown
Two men in New Mexico were arrested as part of Operation Restore Justice, a nationwide FBI-led crackdown on child sex abuse that resulted in 205 arrests and 115 child rescues.
The arrests were part of a five-day nationwide sweep that led to the rescue of 115 children and the capture of more than 200 suspected offenders.
Organ Mountain News report
LAS CRUCES - A coordinated law enforcement operation led by the FBI has resulted in the arrest of 205 suspected child sex abuse offenders nationwide — including two in New Mexico — and the rescue of 115 children, federal officials announced Thursday.
Dubbed Operation Restore Justice, the five-day crackdown involved all 55 FBI field offices, including the Albuquerque Division, and targeted online predators, traffickers and others accused of exploiting children. The arrests were coordinated with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, state and local law enforcement and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
“Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners, child predators will find no safe haven in New Mexico,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “Every child deserves to grow up in safety and with hope — and we will not stop working until that promise is fulfilled for each and every kid in our state.”
In New Mexico, the FBI arrested:
- Noah John Carney, 31, who is accused of coercing a minor into sexual activity between July and August 2024. Carney was previously convicted in 2014 of attempted coercion and enticement and had been serving an 18-month term of supervised release at the time of the alleged new offense.
- Carl Weatherman, 42, who is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material discovered during a 2023 search of his home. He had previously been convicted in 2016 of receiving illicit images involving minors and was serving a 10-year term of supervised release.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division said these arrests reflect the bureau’s continued focus on protecting children across New Mexico.
“Those who prey on children will find no refuge from justice,” Russell said. “The FBI will continue to prioritize these investigations and support our partners in pursuing offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
Nationally, those arrested as part of the operation face a range of charges including production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, online enticement, trafficking of minors and transportation of children across state lines for sex. Federal officials cited several high-profile arrests, including a state trooper in Minnesota, a former D.C. police officer, and a man accused of abuse who was identified following a student safety presentation near Albany, New York.
The enforcement effort coincides with the DOJ’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month and was conducted under the department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. The program brings together federal, state and local agencies to investigate, prosecute and prevent child sexual exploitation.
Anyone with information about suspected child exploitation is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov, or report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.
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