A Bogalusa man was among the 19 arrested for child exploitation as part of Operation Broken Heart, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell announced this week.

Colburn Wheat, who resides at 1603 Meadowlea St., was arrested May 23 and charged with pornography involving juveniles.

Arrests were also made in Mandeville, Slidell, Pearl River and other cities throughout the state.

Operation Broken Heart is a coordinated law enforcement effort aimed at apprehending those offenders who engage in child sexual exploitation, he said.

“June is Internet Safety Month, and the top priority of our Internet Crimes Against Children task force is to make sure kids across Louisiana are safe as they suddenly find themselves with more free time and less supervision during the summer months away from school,” Caldwell said.

Led by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Louisiana ICAC task force affiliates comprised of local, state and federal officials participated in this month-long undercover initiative concentrating on offenders who engage in the possession, production or distribution of child pornography, commercial and online solicitation of children for sexual purposes and sex tourism.

While most of the 19 arrests involved the possession or distribution of child pornography, other arrests included charges related to the production of pornography involving juveniles, indecent behavior with a juvenile, computer-aided solicitation of a minor, unlawful use or access to social media, simple rape and attempted simple kidnapping.

“The results of this operation illustrate that kids don’t have to venture out of their backyard any longer to encounter danger, it can find them right in their own home,” said Caldwell. “Our affiliates are spread across the state with a common purpose — to keep our kids safe.”

The statewide coordinated effort included members from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Cyber Crime and Fugitive Apprehension Units, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Louisiana State Police, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, United States Border Patrol, Bossier Marshal’s Office, United States Postal Inspection Service and Louisiana Probation and Parole.

Assisting agencies also included the Washington Parish, Jefferson Parish, St. Landry Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Livingston Parish, Ascension Parish and Ouachita Parish sheriff’s offices, the Kenner, New Orleans, Mandeville and Gretna police departments, Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, Naval Criminal Investigation Service and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

“Working with our local, state and federal partners is essential in the fight against the exploitation of children for sexual purposes,” Caldwell said. “Without the help and cooperation of these agencies, the Louisiana ICAC Task Force would not have been able achieve the enormous level of success it’s accomplished since its inception nearly 15 years ago.”