YUBA COUNTY, Calif. — A worker at Sacramento Juvenile Hall was among 14 people busted in a regional child sex predator sting.
While no additional details about the worker were available at a press conference from Yuba County law enforcement, officials said the arrest was illustrative of why these operations needed to happen. Specifically, they said there's no specific profile for a predator, and in this case, the operation revealed a suspect at Juvenile Hall.
In total, 14 suspects were arrested and accused of illegal and explicit conversations with children over social media. The arrests came after three days of nearly 20 law enforcement officers making profiles and posing as underage children online.
“There are no safe places on the Internet or in our community for child predators,” said Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry.
According to the Yuba County Sheriff's Office, the suspects sent explicit messages and arranged to meet who they believed to be underage girls for sexual acts. They ultimately met up with law enforcement instead.
Of the 14 arrested, 12 were charged in Yuba County Superior Court with various charges, including meeting a minor for lewd purposes, attempted lewd act upon a child and contact with a minor for sexual offense. The other two are being charged in Sacramento County.
“Protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is our core responsibility. When it comes to those who would prey upon our children, there is nothing that we will not do within the parameters of the law to find you and hold you accountable for your actions,” said Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson. “I appreciate all our law enforcement partners and the efforts that they put forth each day to protect our citizens. This operation is an example of collaboration and commitment and shows that our State, Local and Federal partners prioritize the children and their safety."
