S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster announced last week that a task force assembled to crack down on Internet predators across the state has reached a major landmark.

McMaster's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force made its 100th arrest last week. The operation began in April 2004.

"The milestone in our fight against Internet child predators in South Carolina is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of the 75 law enforcement officers in the state that work in daily cooperation with each other to make this task force a success," McMaster said.

McMaster, along with Rep. Murell Smith (R- Sumter), helped build the framework for the task force with their support of the Criminal Solicitation of a Minor law in 2004.

The task force, which includes officers from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), has used that law as a shield to undermine the efforts of Internet predators. The law allows police to use undercover officers to locate and arrest Internet predators.

Prior to the task force being assembled, the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) handled all investigations of inappropraiate behaviors by adults against children while online.

The CCSO has three agents assigned to the task force, but to this point no arrests have been made by the local agency.

However, a Gaffney man has been arrested and charged since the operation began.

Mark E. McDaniel, 36, was charged by the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office with soliciting sex from a 13-yearold while online in May of last year.

If found guilty, McDaniel could be sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $5,000.

Most arrests have come within the past 17 months after the U.S. Department of Justice awarded the Attorney General's Office a grant that paid for training for officers from each law enforcement agency involved.

Though reaching 100 arrests is a major step in the right direction, McMaster said he believes there is still much work to be done.

"This day highlights a very dangerous problem in our state - that adults are constantly on the Internet seeking to harm our children," McMaster said. "No matter how many perverts are caught in our sting operations, we are confident that there are scores of children hurt that we never know anything about. For those cases to go without prosecution is a terrible shame."