Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today announced that the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office is set to receive $488,527 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to help prevent and investigate crimes against children.

“New Mexico will put this funding to good use to help keep kids safe,” Bingaman said.

“I am glad to see the Department of Justice is sending recovery dollars to our state to help keep New Mexico’s Children safe from online predators.  Children are sadly often the victims of some of the most heinous crimes and we need to take any possible steps we can to help ensure their safety,” Udall said.

Funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, which received $50 million under ARRA.  Funding will be used to maintain and expand state and regional ICAC Task Forces to address technology-facilitated child exploitation.  This funding will be used to help state and local law enforcement agencies develop effective, sustainable responses to online child victimization.