12 men charged in online child predator sting planned to meet kids for sex, prosecutor says – NJ.com
Twelve men from four different states were arrested as part of an online child predator sting in Somerset County, the prosecutor’s office said.
Dubbed “Operation Spotlight,” the 12 men from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania are accused of arranging sexual meet-ups with people they thought were children living in Somerset County, Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.
The men were not communicating with children. Instead, they were talking to police officers posing as children on various social media apps. The officers identified themselves as underage, but the accused still made plans to meet up for sex, Robertson said.
Between Oct. 15 and Oct. 18, the men traveled to Somerset County to meet with the children, but were instead met with police and arrested, officials said.
“Our children and their online safety is the utmost concern to us at the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. Social media apps allow predators into our homes and as law enforcement, we must do what we can to make it a safer environment,” Robertson said in a statement. “We hope that this operation will continue to be eye-opening for parents. Although 12 online child predators have been arrested, parents must learn the apps that their children are using and the inherent dangers within.”
The sting was conducted jointly by the Prosecutor’s office, the FBI, New Jersey State Police, United State’s Attorney’s Office and several local police departments.
Reviews of the men’s electronic devices are ongoing, officials said, and could result in additional state or federal charges.
The men were arrested and taken to the Somerset County Jail ahead of detention hearings; the three men who traveled from out of state will be transferred to the federal authorities, Robertson said.
The accused men are:
- Kyle C. Saludes, 34, HVAC technician from Jersey City, charged with attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, and several drug-related offenses.
- Quentin Anthony Blount, 28, warehouse worker from Easton, Pa., charged with attempted sexual assault and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Digant R. Patel, 46, vice president of a financial institution from Warren, charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Tyler R. Mineo, 27, supermarket employee from Bound Brook, charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Christopher Matamoros-Rojas, 26, from Hillsborough, charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Alexander Castillo-Velasquez, 34, a handyman from Bound Brook, charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Jesus Modesto-Sanchez, 29, a financial firm employee from New York City, charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, attempt to manufacture child pornography and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Benjamin S. Burke, 27, software engineer from Darien, Connecticut, charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Cristian Medina, 34, restoration technician from Raritan, charged with promoting prostitution of a child under the age of 18, attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Ryan S. Lee, 35, warehouse worker from Trenton, charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Daviti R. Robakidze, 27, retail worker from Bound Brook, charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
- Kevin M. Curcio, age 27, warehouse worker from North Brunswick charged with attempted luring, attempted sexual assault, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
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