16 Arrested in 'Back to School' Online Sting
08/31/2015 10:15 am PDT
Pearland Police Dept.
Police in Texas have arrested 16 men suspected in the sexual exploitation of juveniles as part of an online sting designated operation "Back to School."
Pearland Police Department officers conducted the operation in conjunction with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children, using trained officers posed as minors while online to identify suspects seeking to lure victims for the purpose of making sexual contact, according a Pearland police news release.
"When the suspects arrived for the meeting with the minor child, they were met instead by officers of the Pearland Police Department who arrested them," a spokesperson for the department stated.
Suspects arrested in the sting include:
- Jeffrey Brasfield, 58
- Keith Davidson, 48
- Miguel Gonzalez Banda, 24
- Edwin Cedillo-Miranda, 24
- Justin Gadd, 27
- Pablo Ibarra, 27
- Jonathan Copeman, 26
- Ayal Goldberg, 26
- Jake Luera, 29
- Bradley May, 32
- Marcelino Romero-Lucas, 34
- Jesus Santana, 28
- Lorenzo Perez, 20
- Benjamin Rondon, 23
- Erike Ramirez, 36
- Sajid Qureshi, 27
All 16 suspects were arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor, a second-degree felony carrying a penalty of 2-20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
All were transported to the Pearland Police Department detention facility and will face charges in Brazoria County, according to police.
Sources: CW39, Pearland Police Dept.
