Wilmington, DE – Today Attorney General Joseph R. Biden, III announced the creation of a Child
Predator Unit (CPU) within the Delaware Department of Justice. The first of its kind in Delaware, the
Child Predator Unit will employ dedicated investigative and prosecutorial resources to identify, pursue,
prosecute and punish criminals who seek to prey on Delaware’s children. With specially trained and
dedicated staff, the Child Predator Unit will work collaboratively with the Delaware State Police and
other agencies in a proactive effort to identify and track down predators and pedophiles before they can
harm our children.
In order to effectively identify, pursue, prosecute and punish these criminals, the Child Predator Unit
will focus on:
• (1) Establish ongoing internet sting operations to proactively identify, target and capture
predators before they reach Delaware’s children.
• (2) Find and prosecute traditional manufacturers, distributors, and possessors of child
pornography.
• (3) Work with state and local law enforcement agencies to more effectively track down
convicted child predators who have failed to register by state law. The Department of Justice
has committed two investigators to aid in this effort.
• (4) Be an educational resource for children, parents and teachers by providing information
about child predator tactics, advice on ways to avoid victimization, and instructions on methods
to report unlawful activity to the authorities.
“It used to be that locking our doors and watching our children in the park was enough to protect them,
but nowadays predators can enter your home with the click of a computer mouse,” Attorney General
Biden said. “One out of seven children will be sexually solicited on the internet, and of those
solicitations, one in 25 are aggressively contacted.” Biden added that “it is estimated that each week
over 20,000 pornographic pictures of children are posted online and that close to 100,000 illegal child
pornography sites are in operation.”
“Let me be clear. Possessors of child pornography are predators. It is estimated that between 40 and
76 percent of these offenders have also committed sexual offenses against children. We will
aggressively pursue these criminals and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” Biden said.
Biden announced that Mrs. Melanie Withers, an 18-year Department of Justice veteran, will serve as
the first Deputy Attorney General assigned to the Child Predator Unit. Mrs. Withers has extensive
experience in prosecuting felony child sexual assault cases and her career reflects a dedicated
commitment to protecting children. Mrs. Withers’ previous assignments included service as the first
head of the felony trial unit in Sussex County. She also has handled all major domestic violence cases
there for the past 13 years.
“The key to the Child Predator Unit’s effectiveness,” Biden noted, “is its involvement in the entire
process, the staff that will dedicate their full-time attention to this effort, and the collaborative and
proactive partnerships we’ll establish to protect our children. The mission of the Child Predator Unit
exemplifies my vision for an office that is innovative and proactive in identifying child predators
without sacrificing the traditional methods of aggressively investigating and prosecuting traditional
crimes against children.”
Finally, General Biden thanked all Joint Finance Committee members for their commitment to the
creation of the Child Predator Unit and acknowledged co-chairs Senator Nancy Cook and
Representative Richard Cathcart for their leadership. He also thanked Governor Ruth Ann Minner and
the Office of Management and Budget for their support in funding the positions.

Child Predator Statistics:
Approximately 1 in 7 children, ages 10-17, have been solicited online1
Over 20,000 images of child pornography are posted on the internet every week2
It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 illegal sites offering child pornography for sale3
Approximately 50,000 child predators are online at any time searching for potential victims4
Between 405 and 766 percent of individuals who possess child pornography have also committed
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