K9 Sniffers in Oklahoma Help Convict Child Predators

In Oklahoma, specially trained K9 units are playing a crucial role in convicting child predators. A recent high-profile case involves a doctor in Ecuador who faces a 30-year prison sentence for creating explicit content involving minors, thanks to the remarkable detection skills of Rosco, an electronic sniffer dog.

Rosco, not a robotic dog but a highly trained canine, can detect the chemicals used on data storage devices, including tiny SD cards no larger than a pinky nail. Rosco is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Rogers County, Oklahoma, working alongside his handler, Lieutenant John Haning.

Another member of the task force, a black Labrador named Ruger, demonstrated similar prowess last year by sniffing out a laptop loaded with evidence, which was cleverly hidden under a sofa cushion.

“If you overlook one cell phone, one computer, micro-SD card, or one hidden camera somewhere in the room, that could lead to another victim or help us put this perpetrator away for a long period of time,” said Lieutenant Haning.

Although they primarily handle cases in the US, their impressive track record has led to international calls for assistance. In the Ecuador case, the team was invited to join a major police raid. Officer Haning shared with local news their readiness to respond whenever needed.

“When they called up and said, ‘Hey, we need your help. We have a high-profile doctor in Ecuador who’s hands-on in creating content that he’s sharing on the internet internationally,’ we jumped at it,” Haning said.

During the raid, after the police secured the premises, Rosco and Haning meticulously searched for any hidden storage devices, ensuring that no evidence was overlooked.