WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WNCN) — Keep an eye on what your kids are doing online.
That’s the message from law enforcement after a recent child sex predator and human trafficking sting in Wake Forest.
Law enforcement arrested eight people in the sting and are now reminding parents the internet can be a very dangerous place for kids. The eight suspects, all men, are facing at least one count of attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer.
“So, this was a joint operation between us and Wake Forest Police Department. It was a pretty large-scale op,” said Sergeant David Bradford with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office.
He told CBS 17 that these types of crimes are on the rise. “I would say so, as social media platforms grow, and we see those trending up. It absolutely is becoming a bigger issue, especially with online chats and forums and things like that.”
Law enforcement wants to remind parents to ask their children questions about who they’re interacting with on and offline. Parents can use apps to monitor their child’s social media and other online activities.
“Ask questions, find out what platform they’re on, look through those platforms as that’s part of being a parent. You’re not being intrusive to their privacy. It’s part of protecting them. It’s very important to know who their friends are on things like snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, all of these large platforms that are out there,” said Sergeant Bradford.
While Wake Forest Police and the Wake County Sheriff’s Office conducted the operation, other agencies assisted. Law enforcement says officers and agents posed as juveniles and traffickers. Meetings were set up in Wake Forest, where police say the suspects were taken into custody.
“We absolutely will target child predators until we can identify them and lock them up. That’s our job. That’s what we want to do. We want to protect our kids,” said Sergeant Bradford.
Law enforcement conducted the sting last week and announced the arrests on Monday.
Those arrested and their charges are as follows:
- Rosendo Benitez Rodriguez, 26, of Raleigh, is charged with attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer.
- Romael Eliberto Morales-Escobar, 25, of Apex, is charged with attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer.
- Mahdi Sarbedar, 33, of Raleigh, is charged with attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer.
- Ramon Ayala Mendoza, 41, of Chapel Hill is charged with attempted statutory rape, attempted statutory sex offense and solicitation of a child by computer.
- Valentin Cruz-Salazar, 39, of Raleigh, is charged with attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer.
- Brian Deshawn Mobley, 51, of Middlesex is charged with attempted statutory rape and solicitation of a child by computer.
- Alejandro Sean Colon, 22, of Spring Lake, is charged with attempted statutory rape, attempted statutory sex offense, indecent liberties with a child and solicitation of a child by computer.
- Faud Hossain, 26, of Durham, is charged with attempted statutory rape, attempted statutory sex offense, and solicitation of a child by computer.