14 men arrested in sting targeting ‘potential sexual predators’ from Fresno to SLO County
Fourteen men were arrested on charges related to trying to have sex with a child as part of a multi-agency sting operation that spanned from the San Joaquin Valley to the Central Coast.
The undercover sting, called “Operation Boogeyman,” was conducted from Oct. 18-20 and involved 17 law enforcement agencies, including the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and the Paso Robles Police Department.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office released the names and ages of the suspects arrested:
James Barboza, 31
Cresenciano Cortez Merino, 39
Desmond Fitzgerald, 21
Louie Gonzalez, 41
Jack Hastings, 30
Elias Ibarra, 30
Sukhpreet Jassar, 57
Giovanni Jimenez, 29
Miguel Jimenez, 34
Sebastian Mouvangsou, 30
Anthony Rice, 27
Eliazar Sanchez, 39
Bryan Smith, 35
Alonzo Watson, 58
During “Operation Boogeyman,” detectives posing as preteen and early teenage boys and girls identified, contacted and arrested people who may be trying to target children for sex.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said the suspects used sexually explicit language and sent graphic photos to the undercover detectives.
The Sheriff’s Office said all of the suspects were first to express their sexual desires and they initiated a time to meet.
Following their arrests, the majority of suspects have since posted bond, been assigned a court date and been released from custody.
No actual children were ever used or placed in danger during the operation, the Sheriff’s Office added.
Agencies involved in the operation were:
California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation
California Department of Justice
Central California Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
Fresno County District Attorney’s Office
Fresno County Probation Adult Compliance Team (ACT)
Fresno Police Department
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
Madera County Sheriff’s Office
Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office
Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC)
Paso Robles Police Department
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office
Sanger Police Department
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California
Visalia Police Department
Law enforcement is reminding the public to be vigilant when it comes to visiting websites and social media outlets.
They suggest parents monitor their children’s internet usage and be aware of the apps they are using.
Operation Boogeyman remains an ongoing investigation and more arrests could be made.