Arizona ICAC notable investigations: Jan-June 2010
Six-month progress report: January 1, 2010 through June 30, 2010
Selected Investigations and Arrests
The following narratives describe a few of the notable investigations worked by Arizona Task Force investigators over the past six months.
• In September 2009, a proactive investigation began targeting persons who use the Internet to lure or entice minors towards sex acts. The investigation led to a 46 year old loan officer who sent pictures of his genitals, masturbated via web cam and urinated for the viewer to watch. In January 2010, AZ ICAC investigators from Phoenix PD, Scottsdale PD, USPIS, Tempe PD and the FBI executed search warrants at the suspects Phoenix residence and workplace where he was arrested. The suspect was booked into the Maricopa County jail on charges of furnishing harmful items to a minor via the Internet and aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case. (PPD 2010-00058965).
• In January 2010, a proactive investigation into unlawful images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors led to a 39 year old Phoenix man who was found living with his parents. AZ ICAC investigators from Phoenix PD, Scottsdale PD, USPIS and the FBI executed a search warrant at the residence and arrested the man. He was booked into Maricopa County jail on three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor (unlawful images). The Maricopa County Attorney"s Office is handling prosecution of the case. (PPD 2009-91936949).
• In February 2010, AZ ICAC investigators from the Phoenix Police Department worked with agents from the FBI after receiving a tip indicating that a Phoenix man was molesting children and manufacturing images and videos depicting the molestations. An interview with one child resulted in a disclosure and led to the identification of two other victims. AZ ICAC investigators from Phoenix PD and the FBI executed a search warrant at the suspects residence and obtained confessions from the 24 year old unemployed man. He was booked into Maricopa County jail and charged with manufacturing images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors and child molestation. Further interviews are being conducted to identify more victims and more charges will be added if they can be proven. The investigation is ongoing and the suspect is being held pending trial. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is handling prosecution of the case. (PPD 2010-00167150).
• In February 2010, AZ ICAC investigators from Phoenix PD, FBI and USPIS executed a search warrant at the residence of a 26 year Phoenix man who was employed by a public relations firm and arrested him on one count of aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation and four counts of furnishing harmful items to a minor via the Internet. During the investigation the suspect had contacted a Phoenix detective who was posing as a minor and the suspect sent images of his penis, masturbated via web cam and asked the minor to perform sex acts. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is handling prosecution. (PPD 2010-00178077).
• In February 2010, the father of a 12 year old California girl made a complaint to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The complaint stated that his daughter had attended a summer youth camp in California where she met a 21 year old male camp counselor. After the camp ended, the 12 year old and the 21 year old counselor remained in contact with each other through a popular social networking site and also through cell phone text messages. The two exchanged sexually suggestive messages and the girls father, unbeknownst to the girl, began capturing the messages. When the messages became sexually suggestive to the point of the suspect asking her to visit the suspect in Phoenix to engage in sex acts, the father took action by first contacting the Los Angeles Police Department. Working in cooperation with LAPD, an investigator from the AZ ICAC assumed the girls identity and continued communication with the suspect who resided in Phoenix. Believing that the detective was the 12 year old girl, the suspect made arrangements to meet the child at a Phoenix area shopping mall and intended to drive her to another location for perform sex acts. Upon his arrival at the shopping mall the suspect was arrested and booked into Maricopa County jail for luring a minor for sexual exploitation. Tempe PD assisted Phoenix PD with the arrest. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is handling prosecution of the case. (PPD 2010-00171548).
• In April 2010, the Internet service provider Ning.com sent several complaints of unlawful images to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who subsequently forwarded the complaints to the AZ ICAC for follow-up. Investigators from the Flagstaff Police Department, Coconino County Sheriffs Office, and Gila County Sheriffs Office worked cooperatively to identify and arrest two men who were employed by the State of Arizona as campground workers in a state park. Prosecution is being handled by the Gila County Attorneys Office. (IER 8749).
• In April 2010, a proactive AZ ICAC Phoenix Police investigation led to a 25 year old unemployed Glendale, AZ man who used the Internet to send pictures of his genitals and request sex acts with an investigator whom he believed was a minor. Investigators from Phoenix Police, Tempe Police, Glendale Police, FBI and USPIS executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence and arrested him. The suspect made admissions to the offenses and was booked into Maricopa County Jail charged with 12 counts of furnishing harmful items to a minor via the Internet and five counts aggravated luring of a minor for sexual exploitation. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. (PPD 2010-00576002).
• In May 2010, a proactive investigation into Internet-trafficked unlawful images led to the residence of a 42 year old computer repair business owner in Glendale Arizona. A search warrant was served at the man’s residence, evidence was collected, and he was jailed for ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor (unlawful images). The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. (PPD 2010-00639316).
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