Tarrant County undercover operation results with several child predators arrests, they were looking for children online
Fort Worth, Texas – Undercover operation in Tarrant County results with multiple child predators arrested. According to the report, total of six are arrested.
The suspects get caught when they looked for children online to have sex with.
The suspects were identified by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office as Gerardo Coronado-Hernandez, Dathan Whitter, Justin Cannaday, Enio Arana, Steven Heflin and Carlos Salinas.
They were all charged with online solicitation of a minor, a second-degree felony, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. They range in age from 22 to 32, and the cities or towns where they reside weren’t provided.
Undercover detectives from the sheriff’s office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Arlington Police Department began the operation last week, according to the release.
The detectives, posing as children under the age of 17, used personal advertisements and covert communications over social media to find potential suspects, the sheriff’s office said.
Six people traveled to an agreed-upon location for what they thought was going to be a meeting with a minor, the sheriff’s office said. They were arrested.
Arlington Police Chief Al Jones said in the release the department will continue to support efforts that “deter this type of criminal activity that preys on society’s most vulnerable victims, our children and teens.”
Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn said, “Protecting our children will always be a top priority.”
“These predators will always be at the top of our list when taking criminals off the streets,” he said in the release.