At the time the Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award was presented to him, James (JD) Kanatzar worked as a Special Agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) a division under the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Here’s a summary of one of the many child exploitation cases Special Agent Kanatzar worked on while a part of Operation Predator. With the help of another country, agents had received information that a U.S. company was the purchaser of child pornography from someone in the assisting country.
After executing the search warrant at the home of the business owner, they found no pornography. Kanatzar further analyzed transactions between the two parties and saw a pattern of specific dollar amounts and when used he was given access to purchase the pornography. He connected the U.S. person to the crimes and his credit card information.
Eventually the court sentenced the man to five years in prison for possession of child pornography.
Worth Mentioning: Special Agent Kanatzar, at the time he received this award, had been involved in more than one hundred child pornography cases.
Source: USA District Court, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Homeland Security