Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader and District Attorney Pete Weir announced today that the Child Sex Offender Internet Investigations (CSOII) Unit known as Cheezo will be operating under the Sheriff’s Office effective immediately. At a press conference this afternoon, Sheriff Shrader welcomed the unit’s sergeant, two investigators, and mascot Cheezo with a swearing in ceremony. With the support of the Sheriff, District Attorney, Board of County Commissioners, and Attorney General, the cohesive unit will continue its dual purpose of criminal investigation and community education.
At today’s ceremony, Sheriff Shrader explained that “children are and should be trusting, naïve, and innocent. There is no higher priority for the sheriff’s office than to protect these most vulnerable citizens. I am grateful to the commissioners and the District Attorney for working with me to ensure the long-standing tradition of Cheezo continues its successful investigations into, and convictions of, Internet predators.”
District Attorney Weir agreed that the “the value of Cheezo is evidenced by numbers. Over the past decade, the investigative team has arrested and convicted more than 900 online sexual predators of children. Just as significant, the unit has educated virtually every child in the county over the age of five on cyber and cell phone safety. Today, we are able to reassure our community that this vital work will continue and the good guys will prevail.”
For more information on the Cheezo program, please contact Sergeant Mike Harris at [email protected] or (303) 271-6766.