Nearly 30 Arizona residents busted in child sex crime sting

By KOLD News 13 Staff

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Nearly 30 Arizona residents were arrested during a large-scale undercover operation targeting child sex crimes and human trafficking.

According to the Phoenix Police Department, the sting lasted several days last month and was called “Operation April’s Fools.”

The PPD said it worked with the police departments from Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Glendale and Surprise along with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, FBI, Homeland Security and Arizona Attorney Generals Office.

“Throughout the operational period, undercover detectives placed ads on websites commonly sought out by suspects seeking illegal sex acts,” the PPD said in a release. “The suspects allegedly solicited and/or brokered deals for various sex acts and were subsequently arrested.”

The following suspects were arrested:

Franklin Meza, 33, child sex trafficking, money laundering, attempted sex conduct with a minor, luring minor for sexual exploitation

Robert Armendariz, 52, attempted sex conduct with a minor, luring minor for sexual exploitation

Moses Angel Compian, 28, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor and furnishing harmful items to a minor

Sergio Moran, 42, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Hessie Stewart, 28, pandering, attempted control of an illegal enterprise and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Daniel Dorame Valenzuela, 34, child sex trafficking, aggravated luring minor for sexual exploitation, attempted sex conduct with a minor, and furnishing harmful items to a minor

Ernest Villa, 41, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

James Ervin Fulton, 56, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor and money laundering

Lional Jim, 33, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor and money laundering

Alexis Blue Juan, 30, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Joseph Michael Robinson, 33, child sex trafficking, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Jonathan D. Rogers, 34, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor and money laundering

Angel Emilio Bowen, 23, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor and money laundering

Bryan Gutierrez, 38, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor and money laundering

Joseph LaLicata, 28, child sex trafficking and money laundering

Jan Michalecko, 66, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor and money laundering

Ermino Camilo-Sanchez, 27, child sex trafficking and money laundering

Robert Avril, 30, aggravated luring minor for sexual exploitation, attempted sex conduct with a minor

Trevor Kim Bartschi, 32, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted money laundering

Kevin Bock, 56, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Aram Cheesebrow, 44, aggravated luring minor for sexual exploitation, failure to register as a sex offender, resisting arrest

Jesus DeLeon, 30, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Ian Douglas, 35, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Jesse Macias, 38, child sex trafficking, aggravated luring minor for sexual exploitation, attempted sex conduct with a minor,

Jose Orozco, 21, attempted sex conduct with a minor, aggravated luring minor for sexual exploitation

Sebastian Valencio, 37, aggravated luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Carl Gibson, 60, child sex trafficking, luring minor for sexual exploitation and attempted sex conduct with a minor

Willie Guadron, 30, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor, money laundering, drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia

Christopher Rodriguez, 49, child sex trafficking, attempted sex conduct with a minor and money laundering

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