14 men arrested during child predator sting in Fresno County
Many of the men arrested as part of Operation Boogeyman have already posted bond and are back in the community.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Over a dozen men from Fresno and Tulare counties were arrested as part of an undercover sting operation to catch sexual predators called Operation Boogeyman.
"If you go after our children, we will come after you," said Stephen Woolery, the director of the California DOJ Bureau of Investigations.
Local law enforcement issued a sobering message Tuesday afternoon after they arrested 14 men as part of an undercover sting operation last week.
During the operation, law enforcement targeted adults they said were looking to exploit children for sex.
Using social media and other forms of online communication, detectives posed as pre-teens and teenagers.
They say they received graphic photos and sexually explicit language from the suspects, whom they then met in person. In a video released by the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, you can see officers arresting two suspects, Giovanni Jimenez and James Barboza.
"They weren't actually speaking to children. These predators were speaking to our detectives who were out there trying to combat these incidents of child sex trafficking of children being taken advantage of by these sexual predators," explained Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni.
The Fresno County District Attorney's Office says they've already filed felony charges against six of the men.
The charges could bring a maximum of four years in state prison.
If convicted, they would each need to register as a sex offender.
Operation Boogeyman didn't stop with the 14 arrests. Authorities say they covertly messaged 30 others and Sheriff Zanoni says the investigation continues.
"Parents, monitor your kids' social media. Find out what they're doing online. Their phone, their tablets, you paid for them. They're minors. Feel free to check on them and inspect them," said Zanoni.
Many of the men arrested as part of Operation Boogeyman have already posted bond and are back in the community.
As the investigation continues, Sheriff Zanoni tells Action News he's worried there could be more offenses.
For news updates, follow Gabe Ferris on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
