Fresno Leader

A total of 14 men have been arrested and booked into the Fresno County Jail on various charges related to arranging to meet with a child for sex.

According to a statement from the authorities involved in the operation, "The majority of arrestees have since posted bond, been assigned a court date and released from custody."

The arrests were the outcome of a collaborative effort named “Operation Boogeyman”, which took place from October 18th – 20th, 2023. The operation involved members from 17 different local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Explaining the rationale behind launching the operation, detectives highlighted the increasing use of electronic devices and social media by children, making them vulnerable to encounters with sexual predators. To combat this threat, detectives posed as preteen and early teenage boys and girls online to identify and arrest individuals attempting to target children for sexual purposes.

During the investigations, the suspects engaged in sexually explicit conversations and sent graphic photos to the undercover detectives posing as children. The suspects were the ones to express their sexual desires and initiate meetings, leading to their arrests by law enforcement officers.

Emphasizing the seriousness of the issue, a spokesperson for the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force stated, "ICAC detectives are well-aware that suspects who view Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) can easily progress into hands-on crimes against children. The suspects contacted in 'Operation Boogeyman' are prime examples of how sexual behavior can escalate."

The ICAC Task Force, consisting of 64 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across nine counties in the Central Valley, is dedicated to safeguarding children online and investigating crimes against children facilitated by the internet.

In a bid to raise awareness and prevent such incidents, law enforcement authorities advised the public to be vigilant online, monitor children's internet activities, and maintain open communication with them. Parents were urged to educate their children about the risks of interacting with strangers online and report any suspicious behavior to the authorities or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Operation Boogeyman is an ongoing investigation, and law enforcement officials have encouraged individuals with any additional information about the suspects involved to come forward and report it to the appropriate authorities.