An operation in Mesa, Arizona, has rounded up and arrested 24 suspects, all tied to
The Mesa Police Detectives, alongside Chandler, Gilbert, and Tempe
Over a recent six-day period, undercover detectives placed ads on numerous websites commonly used by pedophiles looking to perform illegal sex acts, particularly with children.
Mesa police say all 24 suspects had solicited or made deals for various sex acts with the undercover detectives before they were arrested.
Suspects in this case range from the age of 21 to 80 years old.
“Crimes involving children are of the highest priority and I appreciate our partnership with all the agencies involved in the successful removal of these dangerous child predators from our community,” said Mesa Police Chief Ramon Batista.
To date, 42 charges have been filed against the 24 suspects. Those charges include luring, child sex crimes, marijuana sale, and resisting arrest among others.
The Mesa Police Department is urging anyone who has information about someone being trafficked to contact your local police department or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or humantraffickinghotline.org.
For more information about human exploitation and trafficking, please visit http://mesaaz.gov/residents/police/departments-divisions/mesa-family-advocacy-center/heat
