Twenty-one people accused of sexually exploiting and abusing children were arrested across Snohomish County in a multi-day law enforcement operation that wrapped up this week.

Washington State Patrol announced dubbed the sting "Operation Guardian," brought together the State Patrol, the Edmonds Police Department, and more than two dozen other local and federal agencies, according to the State Patrol's news release. Those arrested range in age from 22 to 65.

The allegations are severe. Charges under investigation include attempted rape of a child in the first and second degree and sexual exploitation of a minor.

No formal criminal charges have been filed. The Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney's Office will review all 21 cases to determine what charges to bring. No timeline for that review has been announced.

Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste said detectives coordinated with local and federal partners over multiple days to identify suspects.

"Protecting children from exploitation is one of the most important responsibilities we have as law enforcement officers, and we will continue to pursue these offenders relentlessly," Batiste said in the State Patrol's news release.

The State Patrol described the effort as a multi-day operation. The announcement came July 1.

No court dates or charging deadlines have been made public. The State Patrol has not released the names of those arrested, the specific locations of the arrests, or details about how the operation was conducted.

Snohomish County prosecutors hold the next step: reviewing each case individually before deciding whether to file charges in court.

Snohomish County residents who suspect a child is being sexually exploited can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline 24 hours a day at 1-800-843-5678 or online at report.cybertip.org.