MANCHESTER, Iowa — Authorities in Manchester are working hard to protect children from online predators with an initiative known as Operation Castle. The undercover operation, which began in September 2025, has already resulted in the arrest of more than a dozen suspects.
Operation Castle involves an undercover officer targeting predators online using public and dark web applications. However, officers are restricted from initiating conversations or suggesting any form of sexual activity or meetings, Manchester Police Chief Benjamin Davis said.
“When we serve the profiles, we literally do nothing,” Davis said. “We set the profile up. We use artificial intelligence to make the officer look like he’s a 14- or 15-year-old boy or girl, and we do not like any profiles. We do not seek out anything. We wait for those predators to approach us on those platforms, initiate the conversation.”
Officers involved in the operation receive specialized training in information gathering, criminal prosecution, evidence collection, and suspect management. “While they’re in the class, they actually set up the fake profiles on social medias, and dark web profiles,” said Davis. “And they actually help them set those up, cultivate targets, learn about all the legal loopholes, what they can and can’t do, what qualifies as entrapment, what doesn’t qualify as entrapment– they give them everything over the course of this class.”
The operation has led to the arrest of 14 suspects within a six-month period, with 10 arrests resulting from arranged meet-ups. Some of those arrested include teachers and prominent business owners.
Davis also offered advice for parents on safeguarding their children from online predators. He emphasized the importance of parental involvement, encouraging parents to engage with their children about their online activities.
“Be involved,” Davis said. “Not everyone plays video games, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sit down with your kid and ask them what they’re doing and have them show you stuff. It’s stuff they’re passionate about, right?
“And the Internet’s not a terrible place,” he continued. “It’s a good place to connect and gather information and learn. It’s just, I think, as parents and as adults now, we have to be more involved with what our kids are doing online, what apps they’re using, and who they’re talking to.”
Currently, Operation Castle is on a temporary break to allow the undercover officer some rest before resuming the operation.
