Clinton John Gray, 47, Joplin, is one of four Missourians arrested in a nationwide FBI crackdown, Operation Restore Justice, on sexual predators, according to a news release issued today by the U. S. Department of Justice.
The release indicated 215 people were arrested across the United States.
A federal grand jury indicted Gray April 9 on charges of receiving and distributing child pornography, following an investigation by the FBI, Joplin Police Department and Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
The investigation into Gray appears to have begun after Joplin Police arrested him September 28, 2023 for drug trafficking and possession of drug paraphernalia after Gray, who was riding a bicycle, failed to stop at a stop sign.
After it was determined that Gray had several outstanding warrants, a search was conducted and officers found a black pouch containing three bags of methamphetamine.
Gray was bound over for trial on the meth charges, but failed to show for his arraignment three times. After the third time on April 8, 2024, Judge Dean Dankelson issued a warrant for Gray's arrest, revoked his bond, (he had been released on his own recognizance) and set his bond at $25,000 cash or surety.
The federal indictment shows Gray's alleged child pornography crimes occurred between January 1, 2023, and the day the Joplin Police arrested him.
The Department of Justice news release for Operation Restore Justice is printed below:
Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
In the Western District of Missouri four individuals, Clinton Gray, 47, Joplin, Mo., Andrew Charles Nicholls, 38, Columbia, Mo., and Trevor Scott Teegarden, 34, Liberty, Mo., along with one additional defendant were arrested last week in separate cases. Charges include attempted production of child pornography, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, receipt and distribution of child pornography, and receipt and possession of child pornography. All charging documents have been unsealed following their arrests last week.
These Western District of Missouri cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner, and Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. They were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Kansas City Child Exploitation Task Force, Boone County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Task Force, Joplin, Missouri, Police Department, Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
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