79 Miners Rescued

The FBI and local law enforcement agencies rescued 79 minors during a three-day raid around the country, the agency announced.

Operation Cross Country VI targeted 57 cities nationwide, involved some 2,500 officers and resulted in the arrest of more than 100 pimps. The sweep was executed Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

"Child prostitution remains a major threat to children across America," said FBI acting executive assistant director Kevin Perkins. "It is a violent and deplorable crime, and we are working with our partners to disrupt and put behind bars individuals and members of criminal enterprises who would sexually exploit children."

Of the 79 minors rescued, all but two were girls, and the youngest was 13, according to Perkins. She had been a sex slave since she was 11.

"These are our kids. They belong to this community, and we are responsible for them," said Greg Fowler, FBI special agent in charge in Portland, Ore., in a separate press release. "We cannot and will not stand by and allow pimps to profit off them and 'johns' to use and abuse them."