Genesee County Sheriff Robert J. Pickell announces charges pressed against 22 individuals in relation to a child sex sting operation by the newly-formed Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team, known as GHOST, on Monday, June 10, 2019 at the Genesee County Sheriff's Office in Flint, Mich. Three human trafficking felony charges are also pending. (Jake MayThe Flint Journal via AP)

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Authorities in Michigan say they’ve arrested 22 people as part of an online child sex sting targeting suspects who are accused of soliciting sex with children.

Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell announced the arrests Sunday and says they were believed to be targeting children for sexual purposes in Genesee County. He says some live in the county and others are from Saginaw, Shiawassee, Oakland, Wayne, Lapeer and Tuscola counties.

Pickell wrote in a Facebook post that the investigation is “a sobering reminder that we must be more vigilant than ever protecting our children.”

The sheriff said Monday an online ad was put up to draw suspects as part of the investigation, which involved the newly formed Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team, or GHOST.

He says the team also arrested a person suspected of sexually assaulting a 2-year-old and another accused of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old.