KCSO sting operation nets 20 arrests Acting with numerous other state and local agencies, on Friday, Nov. 5, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office completed a multi-day operation to interdict those soliciting prostitution and committing sex crimes against children in Kerr County According to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, in this operation, investigators communicated with, and were able to identify, more than 265 individuals across the region who were actively seeking prostitutes, some including arrangements involving children, “A total of 20 suspects were arrested after communicating with officers and attempting to meet what they believed to be women, and in some cases minors, for sexual conduct,” Leitha said. “Participating in the undercover operation were officers and assets from the Kerr County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division and Special Operations Division, in conjunction with the Kerrville Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff's Office Organized Crime Unit, Texas Dept. of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, and the Texas Dept. of Public Safety Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Division.” https://www.hccommunityjournal.com/article_e4d96d38-4176-11ec-92af-6b116cc1b4d6.html
7 Southern Colorado men arrested for trying to solicit sex from children PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Seven people from southern Colorado are facing felony charges for soliciting child prostitution after an online sting by Pueblo law enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security. The Pueblo Police Department announced the arrests Wednesday, saying that the sting happened between June 11-12 within the city of Pueblo. Undercover agents posed as juveniles and they were solicited for sex by the suspects, and they arranged a meeting in person, where the suspects were taken into custody. According to PPD, the following people were arrested and charged during the sting: Joseph C. Storrer, 25, of Ordway David Griego, 27, of Pueblo Christopher Heuston, 34, of Salida Ritchie Mao Khov, 21, of Ft. Carson John H. Mitchell, 54, of Pueblo Errin S. Stewart, 44, of Florissant Robert J. Smith, 73, of Lamar PPD says those suspects were charged with soliciting for child prostitution, a class-three felony, and patronizing of a prostituted child, a class-four felony. Mugshots weren't made immediately available as part of Wednesday's news release. We're working on getting more information on the arrests. https://krdo.com/news/top-stories/2021/11/10/7-southern-colorado-men-arrested-for-trying-to-solicit-sex-from-children/
Three Of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Offenders, Including Child Rapists, And Gang Member Arrested Billy Ray Dake, 47, of Harleton, was arrested by Texas Department of Public Safety Special Agents, Wichita Falls police and Holliday police. He was arrested on Nov. 1 in Wichita Falls, the same day he was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders List. Dake was wanted by authorities since May 17, 2021, when the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a warrant for his arrest for a parole violation. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office also issued a warrant for his arrest on Aug. 27, 2021, for failure to register as a sex offender. In 1992, Dake was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child for an incident involving a 5-year-old boy. He was sentenced to 12 years in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) prison. In 2011, Dake was convicted of failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements and sentenced to five years in prison. In 2018, he was convicted of failure to register as a sex offender and sentenced to eight years. He was released on parole in November 2019. Fernando Cruz Ramirez, 30, of Odessa, was arrested by DPS Special Agents, Texas Highway Patrol Troopers and Odessa police at an apartment complex in Odessa. He was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List on Oct. 25. Ramirez was wanted by authorities since Feb. 14, 2020, when the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a warrant for his arrest for a parole violation. On Oct. 12, 2020, the San Benito Police Department issued a warrant for criminal mischief. On July 21, 2021, DPS issued warrants for Ramirez’s arrest for evading arrest and possession of marijuana. On Aug. 31, 2021, the Ector County Sheriff’s Office issued a warrant, as well, for burglary of a habitation. https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2021/11/09/billy-ray-dake-arnoldo-reyes-aranbula-fernando-cruz-ramirez-arrested/
Several Webster County men charged with crimes against children WEBSTER COUNTY, Mo. — Webster County deputies recently arrested at least eight people involved in separate sex crimes against children cases or other felony crimes against children. The Webster County Sheriff’s Office says several others could be charged. Most of the arrests were on the south side of Webster County. Joey Rippee – two counts of first-degree statutory rape with a person younger than 14 and two counts of statutory sodomy Collyn Rippee – Three counts of statutory sodomy Jeremy Russell – Four counts of first-degree statutory rape Bobby Smith – One count of statutory sodomy Alan Gilliam – Five counts of second-degree statutory rape Chance Raubs – Two counts of abuse or neglect of a child, no sexual contact Joseph Hardy – Three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and one count of second-degree statutory rape Rippee, Russell, and Gilliam Investigation The Rippees (court documents identify them as brothers) Russell and Gilliam are all part of the same investigation. Probable cause statements for each person identify numerous sexual encounters with a girl when she was between the ages of 12-17. The victim is almost 18 now. Court documents say she went to the Webster County Sheriff’s Office on October 22 with new details she had recently remembered after attending therapy. https://www.fourstateshomepage.com/news/local-news/several-webster-county-men-charged-with-crimes-against-children/
Cabarrus County man sentenced to 40 years on child porn charges CONCORD, N.C. — Jeremy Nicholas Mynes, 31, of Cabarrus County, was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison for production and possession of child pornography. In July of 2020, Dropbox reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline that child pornography images were uploaded to a Dropbox account. Images uploaded to the account included minors engaged in sexual acts. Det. Jamieson of the Concord Police Department determined that the Dropbox account and the internet protocol address associated with the uploads were from Mynes’ Concord home. In July of 2020, the Concord Police Department and the FBI executed a search warrant of Mynes’ home and seized several devices that contained child pornography. The child pornography depicted the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors, including 57 images Mynes produced with two minors who were about five and seven years old. The images were produced in 2018 and 2020. “Concord Police Department’s and FBI’s quick response to the CyberTipline report led to the apprehension of an individual who engaged in the production of child pornography,” said acting U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “Follow up and active investigation of these CyberTipline reports are critical in protecting children from sexual exploitation.” Mynes was indicted in October 2021 on two counts of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He later pleaded guilty to one count of both production and possession on March 2, 2021. “Jeremy Mynes’ offenses are heinous. He abused and exploited vulnerable children. The damage to his victims is immeasurable. Thankfully, with a 40-year federal sentence and a state trial still ahead, he will likely spend the rest of his life in prison,” said Robert R. Wells, the FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge. This case was investigated by the FBI and Concord Police Department, and the prosecutor was Assistant U.S. Attorney Kennedy Gates. https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/cabarrus-county-man-sentenced-40-years-child-porn-charges/GEP3POC6YVDTNOEZXRUDIII2NA/
Siloam Springs man part of child exploitation ring, federal authorities say A continuing investigation into child exploitation has netted arrests in five states and Norway, including the August arrest of James Bickerstaff of Siloam Springs, according to federal law enforcement officials. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma released information about the investigation Friday, identifying Bickerstaff as one of six people arrested. The FBI and task force partners have rescued child victims in Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Arkansas, Missouri and Norway, according to the news release and court records. Cameron Kelly McAbee, 31, of Broken Arrow, Okla., was charged in August in a federal indictment with child exploitation enterprise, sexual exploitation of a child by a parent, receipt and distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography in Indian Country, according to the U. S. Attorney's Office. Investigators discovered an online chat group July 13 that shared child sexual abuse material and determined McAbee was an administrator of the group, according to the news release. Gaining membership in the group required showing photographic proof of having access to a child for the suspected purpose of sharing child sexual abuse material, the FBI said. Continued access to the group required members to produce and share images and videos of the members sexually abusing children. McAbee is alleged to have posted a "live photo" to the group July 24 depicting the sexual abuse of a child, according to federal agents. The FBI on July 26 linked the administrator account to McAbee and his Broken Arrow address and executed a search warrant at the home, according to the news release. McAbee agreed to an interview with FBI agents and confirmed he held an administrative role in multiple groups, including one specifically designed for sharing explicit images and videos of children to which the members had physical access, according to the release. He said he had traded images of child sexual abuse that would be considered child pornography, including the sexually explicit "live" image he sent of a child to the online chat group July 24, according to the release. Bickerstaff, 37, was arrested Aug. 24 and is being held in the Benton County Jail on $500,000 cash bond in connection with three counts of distribution, possession or viewing sexually explicit material involving children, sexual grooming of a child and three counts of engaging a child in sexually explicit conduct. Members of the Northwest Arkansas component of the FBI's River Valley Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force searched Bickerstaff's home and seized several electronic devices, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Benton County Circuit Court. Bickerstaff is a registered sex offender with a previous conviction of possession of child pornography, according to the affidavit. He admitted to taking sexually explicit photographs of a 9-year-old girl and disseminating the images over the internet to a group on the Kik app, according to the probable cause affidavit. He said he took the photographs with his cellphone and instructed the girl how to pose, according to the affidavit. Bickerstaff said he told someone online he sexually abused the girl but told investigators that wasn't true and he was only bragging, according to the affidavit. The girl was interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County. She denied being sexually abused by anyone but said Bickerstaff had shown her pornography, according to the affidavit. Connor Hagan, public affairs officer for the FBI in Little Rock, said the agency is continuing the investigation in several additional states. https://hl.nwaonline.com/news/2021/nov/10/siloam-springs-man-part-of-child-exploitation/
River Valley Group Sentenced To Over 206 Years Combined In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdar/pr/river-valley-group-sentenced-over-206-years-combined-federal-prison-drug-trafficking
Thirteen Gangster Disciples Members, Associates and Drug Suppliers Charged in Multistate Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Defendants allegedly trafficked fentanyl, cocaine, suboxone and counterfeit prescription pills containing meth throughout Massachusetts and into Maine and New Hampshire https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/thirteen-gangster-disciples-members-associates-and-drug-suppliers-charged-multistate-drug
