The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office led a special operation between October 25th and November 5th to target sexual predators, in order to protect the county’s children during the Halloween Holiday.
During this time of the year, children are extra susceptible to becoming victims as they are out Trick-or-Treating at homes of people they may not know. We purposely focused the two-week operation on the week before and after the Halloween Holiday to ensure our children are safe and those that prey upon them know that law enforcement is out in full force.
The entirety of the Special Services Division of the Sheriff’s Office (AGNET, Community Car and Community Revitalization Unit) teamed up with the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit of the Sheriff’s Office, San Joaquin County Probation Department, Lodi Police Department, California Department of Justice, San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, Office of Correctional Safety Fugitive Apprehension Team, AB109 Task Force, Homeland Security, and Sacramento High Tech Crime Task Force. The Sacramento High Tech Crime Task Force consists of members from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento Police Department, Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Folsom Police Department, and the Placer District Attorney’s Office.
This operation was a multifaceted online and in-person decoy operation to combat individuals preying on juveniles for sexual-related purposes and those trying to pay for sex. In addition, sex registration compliance checks were made on 57 registrants across the county. All were found to be in compliance except for one person, who has a warrant forthcoming for his arrest.
A total of 202 arrests were made over the 10-day operational period, here is the breakdown.
- 38 persons arrested for online sexual predating of a minor
- 21 persons arrested for soliciting sex with a decoy deputy minor
- 127 persons arrested for soliciting sex
- 3 persons arrested for prostitution
- 5 warrant arrests
- 2 weapons arrests
- 3 battery on a peace officer arrests
- 1 stolen vehicle arrest
- 1 pursuit arrest
- 1 narcotics arrest
- 5 guns seized
What have we learned from this operation? The demand for sex with minors and adults is pervasive. Our data compared to past investigations of the same type shows the problem has increased, especially with those soliciting sex. In each operation we have done, there has been a notable increase in arrests compared to past operations. This is an ongoing problem that we will continue to vigorously combat.
Predators use online message boards, video games, and other chat applications, beyond traditional text and direct messaging. Be involved, pay attention, and warn your children about the existence and dangers of talking to people they don’t know online. Not everyone is as they seem.
Information released by San Joaquin County Sheriffs Department
